megan_

sometimes VOLUNTEERS have jobs, lives etc and they take time to answer questions. If you sent your email from a gmail/yahoo address, a lot of filters will place your email in spam. Patience is a virtue.

I can't believe that someone is trying to get feedback on a breeder and they are being slammed. Isn't this what we encourage people to do. If I asked where I should get a new dog I know that 99% of people in the office would say a puppy farm (they don't know that they are, but they definitely are). They have cute, lovely dogs from these places too. Hell, I bought my boy from Freedom Kennels via the internet. Best dog I've ever known. By your logic asal I should just continue to get dogs from there because I like my boy and I shouldn't ask questions.

Most of the people in this thread "work" their dogs even if they don't get paid for it! I think some pet homes buy working lines when they shouldn't. I have a cousin that bought a w/l border collie because they are "very smart". They didn't seem to realise that "very smart" means "a lot of work to manage". Breeders who sell W/L dogs should be very careful who they sell to - because a lot of dog buyers don't really know what they're getting in for.

I think it depends on what tablets you give.

Because the OP has heard bad info from them and wants opinions? I bought my dog from a puppy farm (didn't know at the time) and he is the most wonderful dog ever and I adore him - but I will NEVER, ever buy another dog from them. Just because a breeder has bred one bad dog, doesn't make them someone to avoid. Genetics is like that - no breeder can 100% guarantee that they are producing dogs that are always sound. That said, reading between the lines, people seem to be implying that this breeder is pumping out litter after litter and not doing health testing (hip scores in particular). If that is the case, I'd avoid them like the plague. If I was the OP, I'd ring up, pretend I was a first time puppy buyer and ask about: * What health testing do they do (not vet visits, health tests, incl hip scores) * How many litters they produce each hear * How many breeding bitches do they have, how are they housed, exercised, etc. Ask if you can pop around to visit and see their conditions.

I go to the park at 6.30 am - normally there are only one or two dogs. Teaching your dog to be around other dogs and NOT run after them/play with them is part of socialisation too

you'd be much better off going to a DOL meet or an obedience club IMO. I find fenced parks tend to have the less well behaved dogs in them. Also, if your dog is on leash eh might feel threatened when 10+ dogs swarm him at once (if you go to a fenced park at peak time, chances are this will happen).

EP Holistic Salmon and Anchovy has been unavailable for ages - mine used to love it.

yes - in Victoria someone has to actually witness the abuse before the RSPCA can act. That is the law. I know this because I reported my neighbour once - they needed me to say that I could see that the dogs had not shelter, not just that I believed they didn't. Again, the question goes unaswered. What is the alternative?

Can you please provide a reference to this? Where in the legislation does it say something to this effect? The rally was in Victoria and your statement does not apply to this state. No one is asking for the RSPCA to have more power - they are asking for laws to be re-written to protect puppy farm dogs. Surely you WANT the legislation to be re-drafted if you think it is so bad. Again, what is the pure dog community doing instead? Easy to throw stones....

http://lambie.org/2010/09/09/if-you-love-y...-them-off-lead/

What makes you think they don't? What makes you think that they are - in your words - gullible? ETA: and there have been a few "how dare you''s on this thread. Too tired to go back and pick them out, but they are there.

Souff - calling people gullible is hardly a way to win an argument. I don't agree with every ALV sentiment, just like many Catholics don't believe everything that the Church does, every ALP member doesn't support abortion etc etc. I DO know, however, that they have often shamed the RSPCA into action and that they have helped hundreds on dogs. Who here amongst us can say we've done the same (Schnauzer maybe?)? To those who oppose the rally but are against puppy farmers - I suggest doing something soon....

AS Nehkbet posted above - they are not. They are completely seperate organisations that share a common name.

Cosmolo asked where the evidence was that Animal Liberation Victoria wanted to ban the sale of all dogs. There is a difference and the source needs to come from the ALV IMO. Here's the ALV site: www.alv.org.au - I'm looking now. 10 points to whoever finds the evidence first!

Pulled from the Animal Liberation of Australia website (http://animal-lib.org.au/about-us/who-we-are.html) : "Animal Liberation believes all animals (yes humans are animals too) have a right to live how they would normally choose without other species intervention." --Lhok ALV is Animal Liberation Victoria, not Australia.

Was that all it was for, though? No it was to push for new laws for breeding establishments and stopping the sales of dogs in pet shops. Yes - that was my point behind my question. And if it is a push for laws, then some organisation is going to have be granted licence to enforce/police those laws. And who do we think that might be? The laws are going to change - there is public momentum. All that remains to be decided is whether the ANKC is going to have input into them or not. Missed opportunity on their part. I agree Cosmolo - if Joe Average read this thread I think the hostility would be very off putting. Edit - Steve, I get where you're coming from, but what is the MDBA's position on cleaning up the mess? I don't beleive that a breeder has the right to make a dog suffer for a buck, registered or not. I'm sure you don't either, so what can be done to help the dogs in these farms? Existing laws in Victoria DON'T cut it - afterall, most of the puppies in those tiny window boxes are kept to the standards in the laws. I understand that breeders are hesitant re: more laws, but surely the "head in the sand" approach is giving the puppy farmers/DD crowd EXACTLY what they want? I don't expect a breeder to be hand-in-hand with an animal liber. I expect them to be doing something though, even if it is their own draft legislation, campaigns etc. I've said it many times before, but I believe that the ANKC has missed a GOLDEN opportunity to promote ethically bred pure breds. From the outside looking in, the "not in my backyard" stance looks like people are covering things up.

I like the tatoo, I think it reduces the risk of my girl getting stolen (no chance of breeding). She was an ex-puppy farm breeding bitch, so this is very important to me.

Here's a link: http://wagsalot.com.au/index.php?target=ca...;category_id=34 I have the brick and tornado ones. Love them. When I say "Stop. Puzzle time" (to the tune of "stop, hammer time" ) the pups get very excited.

There is no agility in the rain due to safety reasons, but we have done obedience when it is bucketing down. Erny said that training under distraction is good!

I put two smelly treats in cups that were turned upside down. The cups are too big for my littlies to lift up with their mouthes. Fergus pushed the cup to the wall and tipped it over. Ate the treat. Smart boy. Lucy struggled a bit and finally managed to lift the cup. She then picked the cup up, leaving the obvious treat on the floor, and ran - cup in mouth - to her crate. She was very upset when she looked in her precious cup and found no treat. She has repeated this a number of times ETA: Bubby, CW_EW - you really should get some of the Nina Ottosson puzzle range. It is great to watch how they tackle things differently.

Great post. People can't have it both ways - a lot of GSD fanciers would be suprised and upset that aggression was considered "normal" and "typical" of their breed? Next time someone posts "Is a GSD right for me?" or similar they should get directed to this thread? Reading the breed standard - and not being a show/breeder type person I'm not an expert on these things - aggression of any kind would be a fault, certainly not normal? Even for a working dog, "aggression" needs to be controlled and not "I'm gunno kill the next fluffy that walks past"? The OP is seeing a behaviourist, that is great. Behaviourists aren't luxuries when dealing with aggression. The only sound advice while waiting to see one is to muzzle the dog or keep them on your own property 24/7. Anything else can end in tears (usually for the smaller dog). Poodlefan - some people seem to be very hung up on the fact that you own - gasp - poodles. They can't seem to look beyond that and listen to your advice. Maybe a change in name is required? GSDLover, RottieLady or something similar? Maybe then they can look past their prejudices and read the advice for what it is .

I'm not saying cross breeding is good. It was one example to prove that puppy farmers are a specific group of breeders - not everyone who breeds a cross breed is a puppy farmer, not everyone who doesn't show is a puppy farmer. Puppy farmers mass produce dogs in sub-standard conditions. It has nothing to do with showing.

The daughter apparently rebranded and they are still going. Maybe she is Kate?

Mot normal people don't care about shows :D The only people who say "if you don't show you are a puppy farmer" are a small select group? Some people breed cross breeds (I don't like that but they do), if they health test, keep their dogs in good conditions (both mentally and physically), give them regular, breed appropriate care, then they aren't puppy farmers.