megan_

Maybe try a vet behaviourist? It may be a combination of something physical and mental? Also, Jane might have ADD, or might actually be a true working dog - one that is so focused and "hyper" that she needs to work 8+ hours a day?

And, unless there is a very good reason to keep it entire, I'd desex it. Giving and entire dog to what is really a stranger for a year is very risky.

They will kill very cute native animals too. They are bad for our environment. Report them.

yes - there are a lot of companies who seem to be selling the white "no name" kibble now. Without knowing who is producing it, I wouldn't buy it.

Sorry S&T, I didn't make myself clear. If a dog is on a longline, they aren't allowed in an on lead area - they have to be in an off leash area. Off leash dogs are allowed there too.

Which council if you don't mind me asking? This week alone I've had 2 dogs run up to us whilst I was taking a class. I asked them both to recall their dogs, one had a semi recall, the other one had no recall, I grabbed the dog by it's harness and the owner was saying "wait, wait" as she was trying to clip her lead on.....as if I was not to let go of the dog until she had the lead on.......ummmmm excuse me?!?!?! Ridiculous situation. Glen Eira. But I'm pretty sure it is the same for most councils in metro Melbourne.

I get what you mean SK, but I don't hink there is any substitution for an off leash run. Dogs use different muscles when running full pelt. I don't have a garden at all. As I said, I have reduced risks by only going to the park at the crack of dawn, and I haven't had a problem yet (touch wood). In my council, dogs are only allowed on a long line in an off leash park.

It depends on the dog. My girl is great with 99% of dogs, just not the ones that actually jump on her. It is sad that she gets labelled "aggressive" because of this, but the dog with no manners is just "friendly". As PF said, if everyone obeyed the rules and thought "how is my dog impacting someone else's time" then off leash areas would be MUCH safer and enjoyable for everyone. ETA: I go to the off leash park at 6.30am (even on weekends) so that she can get some freedom without encountering idiots. She still gets to meet dogs, but I think the idiots are still in bed at 6.30am. Unfortuantely, we can't go for our nightly walk until 8.30pm due to one man walking his overly friendly staffy earlier.

Thre was a big hoo-ha recently about Jim's franchises in general and how they put up their fees etc and many franchisees are left with businesses that they can't sell. And while I don't want to sound judgemental, you have to think about your clientele. Not one person I know would ever use Jim's. I think you'll be more than likely stuck with dogs that haven't seen a groomer in ages and the owner is too embarrassed to take them to the salon (no offence to those who use Jim's!).

so chellz, what happens when an off leash dogs approaches the on lead dog and jumps on its head, a fight ensues? Is the off leash owner responsible? Or is that nasty aggressive dog? I have a dog that is great with other dogs unless they get right in her face. She will snap at them and they normally leave. But you do get a few dogs (certain breeds which I will not name) that just keep on persisting. "Oh, they just want to play" says the owner (I am sure that they have no recall anyway). Because my girl is small they don't worry about her attacking, but if their large breed dog retaliates she would be dead in minutes. So....when I see one of these dogs I say "she hates XXX and attacks them" just so that they leave me alone. ANy polite requests that they give them are ignored, so I have to resort to making her out to be aggressive just to take her for a walk. Dogs can have 100% recall. It takes training and conditioning. I can call my dogs off a prey item, and they have high prey drives. A friend has a whippet and it does the same. Most people don't train a recall though and just expect their dogs to come. I am far less concerned about people with aggressive dogs who know their dogs boundaries and have a great recall than I am with people with overly friendly, out of control, humping, no recall dogs. They are the dogs you need to worry about.....

Has the product been safety tested for humans? If it is altering magnetic fields, I would think so?

I don't think people with aggressive dogs have are entiltled have their dog offleash in public, even if it is an offleash park. Perhaps while there is no one around, but certainly not in the presence of potential victims... Though obviously, I can't prove his dog was aggressive as there way no way we were going to get close enough to find out. I do think it is just a disaster waiting to happen as he clearly had no intention of ensuring the safety of others (that is if the dogs IS actually aggressive). There are not many dogs with perfect recall, and i have to say that a lot of the dogs that do go to this park have very little recall. When we did go to a separate area, an 8-10 week old cocker puppy rushed up to my dog and would not return to the owner. The owner started walking off and I actually thought for a minute there that they were going to leave me with the puppy!!! I had to warn them not to go near the aggressive dog because i am sure that would have ended badly :D Oh well, I guess I can't really do anything, which is a bit frustrating. I often tell people my dogs are aggressive when their over enthusiastic dog bounds over to mine (not saying your dog is like this, just demostrating that he might like to have been left alone to play with his dog). The law is on his side. You are only allowed to use an off leash park if your dog is under effective control (meaning your dog will not approach his without his permission). I always leave the park if there is an aggressive dog - I wouldn't stay around regardless.

I see your point. She has killed a rat before. When we go lure coursing and racing, she "switches off" very easily and happily comes trotting to me - nice as pie. Some fo the other dogs seem very riled up and snappy after the race. If she was like this I wouldn't let her even go lure coursing. I didn't think of disease. Basil has managed to evade her. As per the OP, when the door lock goes he makes himself scares. She can't reach under most of the decking, so I assume it is going to be very hard for her to actually kill him.

Interesting dobesrock. Lucy is absolutely silent when hunting. I often find her standing like a statue - I think she's trying to convince Basil that she's not there. It has helped with her toilet training - first thing in the morning she is desperate to go outside.

I understand what you're saying Dory and Miss B, hence my worrying. I play tug with her, but I don't get the same drive as when she's hunting. She was abused, so she tends to let go if I pull back at all. She loves her toys, but nothing beats a live rat. Even though she has a strong prey drive, she still has a great recall. I have recalled her off chasing a low flying bird (in a fenced off leash park) before, so I'm not worried about her taking off in other situations.

...forgot to add, if you vote "no" can you please let me know why...

There is a rat (eeeek!) that lives under my decking. I have suspected this for the last few weeks (due to Lucy's sudden interest in the outdoor area) but it was confirmed last night when Basil (the rat) came onto the decking when the dogs came inside after a toilet break. Lucy has a very strong prey drive, and ratting was the original purpose of her breed. She really loves running back and forth, trying to get to Basil. I have been letting her out for about 1/2 an hour a night to chase Basil, but I'm wondering if I should. On one hand, it is her breed instincts working (which is great to watch, even though I am terrified that she will get him and I'll have to dispose of the body), but I'm a worrier: * What if Basil gets baited (my neighbours don't bait, Basil is still alive, Lucy has caught a rat before and never even made a puncture mark, she just shook it to death, never tried to eat it)? Even though I know she is 99% safe, I still worry. * She goes under the decking, and I'm sure there are all sorts of spiders there. I seem to find a lot of redbacks in my garnde, no matter how much cleaning up I do. I have lots of big plants and pots so thye seem to find lots of places to hide. I then tell myself that spider bites are always a risk and she is a dog. If I reduced all the risks her life would be very boring. * I know that, unlike a cat, if she does catch him his death will be quick and she won't torture him. So...should I let her continue hunting Basil? As much as I hate rats, I have a bit of a soft spot for him. He is actually clever. When he was out on the decking, I banged the door, stomped my foot etc and he just froze - he didn't run away. As soon as I turned the lock, he was off. I think he knows "lock turned = dogs come out"?

I only feed raw that comes froma a qualified buthcer. I believe that the laws are different if you buy your pet mince from a pet supply place. All meat that comes from a butcher must be inspected for pests. Fresh meat shouldn't be bright in colour - chances are they are using preservatives to make it look "fresh and tasty".

I believe they steer people clear of buying online - not seeing ads online.

I teach them tricks to stimulate their brains. I do free shaping with the clicker - it really is about promoting problem solving rather than learning a particular thing. My boy gets sooooo excited when theclicker comes out and starts to offer all sorts of behaviour. I only use positive methods when trick training - tricks are for them to enjoy, not me. I want to encourage them to try new things, not shut them down with corrections.

Methinks Bobo needs a behaviourist too. In the interim, teaching simple tricks (targetting, getting on top of a little table) really helps build confidence. There is hope for Bobo yet, if they get professional advice and listen to it. My girl used to be a puppy farm breeding bitch. When I got her, she was scared of everything - me included. She has never had any human socialisation and was too scared to leave the house for about 5 months after getting her. She now loves her walks and even does agility. It has been a hard slog but it has been worth it. Her quality of life is SOOOO much better. Being kept in one place (the house and yard) is no life for a dog IMO.

If your dog has already had the heartworm injection, then I'd advice against using a product with heartworm prevention - double dosing on some pretty strong medicine. If you're unsure what your dog has had, speak to your vet. I only treat mine for intestinal worms and heartworm (monthly tablets). If they ever get fleas I'll deal with them then. I hate dosing them up for things that they don't have.

Before people bag rescues and post lots of angry faces, they need to realise that most rescues are run by volunteers who use THEIR OWN MONEY to spring dogs from the pound, feed them, desex them etc. It would be great if they could return calls within 24 hours, but many of them have their own full-time jobs, visit pounds to take photos, take sick dogs to the vet, spend all their spare cash on dogs etc. A bit of understanding would go a long way. If someone doesn't return your call, call them back.

My vet's advice was to NOT induce vomitting - the bone can get stuck on the way up (vomiting is a "violent" action). Keep an eye on the dog and any signs of trouble off to the vet.

What does this thread about flat coat breeders in WA have to do with the RSPCA?