megan_

It doesn't matter if the problem was exactly the same - it is treatment that determines the cost. There are often a range of treatment options for each condition (from do nothing to leaving the dog in care). These a have different costs and it is up to the client - not the vet - to decide which one goes ahead. If something happened out of hours and they had the same treatment but the mum decided to leave the cat at the emergency vet for observation and acdrip, that would account for the extra $1k right there.

I believe Advocate deals with mites

Also remember that if she doesn't come back when expected and you think you own the dog, she might come back later and then you land up in court fighting over who the dogs belong to. I'd get a transfer of ownership signed (but not lodged) before she left.

Not something I would do but if I did I'd want a very clear contract signed by both parties covering things like: * What to do in an emergency? Will you pay upfront and she'll reimburse you? What will the terms of payment be? How much are you pre-authorised to spend without her consent? What if you can't contact her? Look at some emergency vet contracts that they get you to sign for a guide - they cover things like how much you authorise them to spend on saving your dog's life vs making them comfortable. Stuff that people don't like to talk about but the last thing you want is for there to be an emergency, it is going to cost a few thousand dollars to treat and you can't get hold of the owner. * What if the dogs don't get along (it can take a few weeks even months for dogs to settle in and show their true selves). What will happen to the dog then? Will you keep it and separate them at all times?

No. With the exception of a few breeds I love and a few dogs I love and know (all well-trained, mostly sports dogs) I have absolutely no inclination to go up and pat random dogs. Firstly, I just don't want to but also most owners aren't really good at reading body language and say it is okay to pat their dog when their dog isn't really happy about it. I see this more often than not. Dogs badoy language can be very, very subtle - a sniff on the ground, a slight lick of the lips can be their way of saying "please give me space" but most people assume that the dog is fine/wants to kiss them etc. One thing that Lucy has taught me is to respect dogs' space. They have the "right" (wrong word but you know what I mean) to go for a walk, go to the vets etc without being flooded with pats. *puts on flame suit in dog forum. Finds big hole in flame suit. Prepares for roasting!* ETA: for those that ask, do you stand back a few meters without approaching at all when you ask? I'd be cross if someone asked to pat my dogs as they moved towards me, already in my space when I got to respond (answer if I had Lucy would be a very firm but polite "no", with me physically blocking your path if I needed to :)). ETA ETA: I often get compliments on my dogs' behaviour when out and about. I don't mind that!

Do you use the ball as a reward so that she has to do something to earn a game of fetch? Also, make sure you only play fetch on your terms - you start the game and finish it (I use "finished"). I know it can be annoying but having a motivated dog that loves to play with you is a really good thing when it comes to training.

I have the same thing, I leave the dogs in the car until its time and if I have more than one dog needing to be seen, I leave the other one in the car and do a swap. You still need to walk passed the dogs in reception though? I take Lucy's "Please give me space" vest - unfortunately some people don't seem to be able to read.

Basically, all insurance is underwritten by Hollards, with the exception of PetPlan - which is underwritten by Alianz. PetPlan is the only one that I have heard of that doesn't add exclusions each year if the dog has had an issue while insured (eg your dog gets patella surgery one one leg when you're insured. The next year, some companies will exclude any issues to do with the patella). They also the only ones that don't have year on year lifetime limits. For example, if your insurance has a yearly limit per condition of say $10k, if your dog needs lifetime treatment then they'll only pay up to $10k in total. With PetPlan, the limit is reset each year for lifetime conditions (so you'd get $10k per year). In a nutshell, unless you have a dog that is on their excluded list, I'd go with PetPlan. They take their time to pay, but they do pay reliably.

I think vet nurses make a big difference too - I like bossy nurses who tell people to control their dogs in no uncertain terms.

I once told someone that I thought my fearful dog might have parvo - she didn't and I didn't suspect it at all but it was the only thing that would get the b*tch to leave my dog alone. I think some waiting room designs leave a lot to be desired though - one tiny room with no place to escape the hordes. I also have a very strong dislike of resident cats that approach dogs. My dogs are terriorists and one has a very strong prey drive. I don't want to have to deal with a sick, scared dog and a harassing cat. In fact I stopped going to a vet that has a very good rep because of their resident cat. When I asked the vet nurse to move her away from my dog her reply was "don't worry she's friendly and just wants to say hello. The South East Animal Hospital is very good but vets also bring their off leash dogs there too. Some are great at keeping them in their office but we did get harassed by a resident lab when poor Lucy had toxic mould poisoning. Poor thing was ill and scared and then had to cope with a lab trying to jump on her head. I ran around the reception counter to block the lab and was then told I wasn't allowed behind the reception desk! You should be able to enter a vets without being harassed by any animal - including the ones owned by the vet.

Try adding some Pet Ark Calm to the food - K9Pro.com.au sells it.

Because it can show how good a pedigree is?

I think corrigama suggestion is avgood one. If someone is to far fro Choir rescue, suggest some local reputable ones. How hard is that? Might stop them from going to pound rounds instead who'll give anyone any dog.

My mini was raised outside. She was terrified of people when I got her. Even so, she came inside as soon as she could muster the courage. When she first chose to sit next to me she was trembling with fear, yet still chose to be with her pack (that was after having her for a month). That is a very strong pack drive given the circumstances. It isn't just a case of indoor or outdoor. Companion dogs (including mini schnauzers) need to be a genuine part of the family, sir and watch TV with them, go for a run, go to watch the kids play soccer etc, I have just dog sat two dogs that spend most of their time outdoors. It was very hard because they didn't have house manners and any bit of attention, mayhem ensued.

The obly breeds I can think of that are truly happy to be away from their family when they're home are very independant and require a very skilled trainer.

You posted this in general too and people replied that. General rule is not to duplicate posts

Always wet ice before giving it to dogs otherwise their tongues can get stuck and that would end very badly for the dog.

Be careful not to overdo it's yer choice (and any self control games really). You want your dog to be switched on, eager, muscles tense really wanting to get the reward but holding back. You don't want them to be relaxed - at least if you're wanting to do dog sports. If you make your dog wait too long it will disengage and you'll be inadvertently teaching them that disengaging = you get a reward, a really bad lesson for any dog really. Susan Garret explains it really well in one of her blog posts if I can find it.

I like the blog style as long as it was up to date. If the last post was in 2011 I wouldn't be very impressed...

Mine are inside with a dog door when they want to go outside. On hot days I put ice blocks in their water. The house has glazed windows so it takes a fair bit of recurring heat to get hot inside. If that happens and I'm at work I'll leave the air con on (which I hate doing!).

yeah when I say "breed info" I mean a plain-English description of the breed, with a lot of emphasis on temperament and explaining what this means (eg "reserved" doesn't mean fearful). Breed standards tend to have very little info on temperament at all.

In addition to what others have said, I like honest info on what type of home would best suit the breed, what type of home wouldn't and what the breed can offer people. For example, so many people say they want an intelligent dog assuming that they're easier to train when this isn't really the case - you need to train a dog for life when you've got a biddable thinker on your hands! I'm interested in working dogs (and she does field work?) I'd like to know the details of the work she does, not just limiting this to titles. Photos from different angles (not just stacked, but out working and having fun) appeal to me also. I also like to know what the breeders aims are, not just generic statements like "to better the breed". In a nutshell, info that will help me determine whether this is the breed for me and, if it is, are you a breeder I should be interested in.

How much time will they spend with the dog? I know of dogs that are outside dogs and have limited access to the house that would be lucky to get 1/2 an hour of interaction a day. What areas of the house will the dog have access too? Living areas where they will have a lot of contact with the family or the laundry?

I think they are harder and therefore more likely to splint and cause an obstruction or worse.

Also, in lieu of a wobble board, just get him to do slow, controlled movements on x thick piece of foam. Less about rear end awareness than core strength though.