megan_

There shipping calculator often comes up with very high prices. If you email them with the quote they look into it and confirm if the shipping is correct.

There is no such thing as a non-shedding dog. Hair/fur falls out of all dogs.

Just remember that a vet visit isn't the same as a health test. Dogs can get an all clear from a vet visit and have serious genetic health issues that only certain tests can pick up. IT is all up to you but don't ever feel that you are committed and can't back away because she isn't yours yet. Remember your dog will be in your life for about 12+ years, so you want things to be right. Does she have pedigree papers? I have seen a few quotes out of NSW pollies talking about following Vic's dog laws. If that is the case, bull breed dogs without papers are in danger.

To be perfectly honest, it would be very hard to look after a dog for 8 months and then give them back. You might find someone that wants a dog but can't commit to one long term? Things to think about: * Does Baxter have insurance? What if something happens while he is with someone else? Will you pay all the bills? Remember that a weekend in emergency could cost you many thousands of dollars. This almost always needs to be paid on the day. What if there is an emergency and you can't be contacted? If I was to foster a dog, I'd want a commitment to pay up to $x for the dog. Remember that the foster carer will most probably need to pay the vet upfront in an emergency. This is a big financial risk for someone. * Does Baxter have indemnity insurance? If something happens while in someone else's care (eg Baxter escapes, gets onto a road and causes an accident), the foster carer will be legally liable. Some pet insurance gives a certain amount of indemnity insurance (eg PetPlan). This might be another barrier to getting a carer. * Are you going to cover all other costs (food, worming etc). I might have missed that in your post. Also, are you willing to pay someone a small fee to compensate them for all the walks, trips etc that they'll have to take?

Mine rarely go in their crates at all (other than occasional feeding and at training when I'm training one but not the other) but I have made crates a nice place. I am not into crating dogs for long periods of time. Teaching them to be happy in a confined space (ie a crate) is very useful because accidents happen and if your dog ever lands up admitted at a vet they'll be crated. Accidents/illnesses are stressful enough without a dog not being used to a crate. This happened to me this weekend. My girl got poisoning and she was very distressed. She had to be admitted overnight. She is a very anxious dog (she was abused) but was happy when she got put in the crate. It was her happy, safe place. I would hate to think of how stressed she would be if she wasn't used to it.

Cowanbee's post was referring to people who work full time. Do you do this even if it is raining or hailing?

What is she allowed to destroy? Big boxes that you can get from fruit shops etc are great for letting her tear something up. Some kongs, a sandpit etc would also be good. Rotate toys every few days.

It is the Nothing in Life is Free link - at the top of this forum! ETA: Oops - I thought it was there but it isn't. Off to look if it is on the Puppy forum

My dogs are a mini schnauzer and an oodle cross - not accepted Schutzhund breeds!

The Eagle Heights website says they're fully booked though? I like training with the IPO/schnutzhund folk in Vic. We train with them once a month at the moment. We are training the schutzhund (sp) style tracking, even though they'll never be allowed to compete in schutzhund (sp again). They are loving it.

They have adult dogs too

Hi Jules, Is there a head instructor or someone to talk about joining agility without passing the list posted? Neither of my dogs know stand or heel and I really have no interest in teaching them. My boy hasn't triallec yet but does proper weaves even under distraction, knows 2o2o, I've done foundation at action dogs and k9. I'm just not ready to trial yet myself. My girl also trains and has an excellent recall, stays with me, has great stays even with other dogs going nuts etc. She wouldn't pass a stand for exam though!

Thanks Murve. We're training at another school for the next 2 Sundays, so I'll pop in after that.

Are the US specs different than the Australian ones? I know that for weavers, for example, they are spaced differently.

My dogs have a dog door. They are technically inside dogs but go outside to run around, play in the dirt and catch some sun every day. I don't think a 100% "inside all the time" is healthy either - lack of Vitamin D springs to mind. There are lots of risks with having dogs go outside, but I believe that the benefits outweigh the risks. Mine do agility and a dog can die from an agility accident. I'd rather that they live full, happy, true doggy lives though than remain wrapped in cotton wool.

Hi All, I'm looking for club suggestions in SE Melbourne, but I'm willing to travel and hour or two to go to the right place. I already train at some great places, but I'm looking for new distractions. My "must have" criteria: * A club that puts safety first. That is, no off lead dogs roaming around during class/as you arrive(this rules out the nearest one to me, in Bentleigh, sigh). * A club that doesn't force dogs to say "hello" to each other. In fact, I want a club that instructs people not to approach others without asking permission first. * A club that is happy to let me "do my thing" (eg tug) on the side as long as I don't disturb any one. * Where instructors are respectful that I have a fearful dog and will give her the space that she needs if I ask for it. I do push her a lot, but I want to do it on our terms. * A club that won't force me to correct my dogs. I know how I want to train them. I use a club as a place for distractions only. There are many other things I want in a club, but I can work around the "nice to haves". Does my club exist? My girl can be FA, however it is very well managed and she works in a controlled environment very well (I work her off leash around other dogs with no issues).

Maybe cross post in General (with Troy's permission of course) to get more eyes over this? Also OT, as many people avoid General!

If that was the list to start agility or obedience, I'd never be able to start :). Which is a great pity, because both my dogs are pretty good IMO! I think I know what club you're talking about and it is my understanding is that all you need to do to start agility is to demonstrate a few key behaviors (eg recall, heel for some reason, focus etc) and you don't actually have to go through the 2 classes. I think they have a list that they give you?

I agree that is a long list for beginners. I also agree with badazzled re: thinking what you want out of class. The list seems like a list of things you'd want a social, easy-to-live-with dog to be able to do. A nice thing to aim for, but is it what you want? Re: the meet'n'greet, it is perfectly appropriate for him to warn large dogs who get in his face. That should be a pass IMO. Would he get a "fail" for that behaviour? If so, I'd find another school to be perfectly honest. Small dogs shouldn't have to be subjected to large dogs hurting/intimidating them to get a pass. My girl is fine in class and walks well next to others, works reliably off leash (she has never once broken from me) yet she wouldn't pass a meet'n'greet test if she has to say hello "nicely" to in-our-face dogs. I certainly don't expect her to and wouldn't put her through it. Re: the stand. I've never taught my dogs that! I wouldn't know where to start. My aim is for them to: * have good enough manners to be easy to live with (ticked that box, great off leash walking, they know "crate time", they aren't destroyers etc) * do agility I want Lucy to do more obedience because she can stay closer to me - which she likes - but I'm not going to force her to interact with strange dogs. I might try rally-O one day because you can encourage your dog and give them feedback on how they're doing, and she likes to know she's a "good girl".

you mean the dogs right? Right?

Trained guard dogs - at least well trained ones with good nerves - shouldn't be out attacking strangers.

Shy dogs prefer it if you ignore them a bit - focusing on them makes them more scared. Go about your normal routine and let curiosity get the best of her.

Great work SammieS! We had a little victory today too. Checking Lucy out of the hospital the resident lab wanted to say hello. I called her and we walked around while he followed us and she didn't react at all. The vet nurse finally removed him.

I started a thread in off topic (because that is were I post the most) but someone suggested posting a thread here so that more people are aware of the risks. My mini schnauzer is in hospital after getting into my nephew's school bag where there were some mouldy lunches yesterday. I must have come home as soon as she'd done it and within 5 mins she was shaking and couldn't walk properly (she was crab-walking and was distressed). I raced her to the vets immediately and she was diagnosed with mould poisoning. It can be fatal but she is going to be okay because she got treated so quickly. If your dog gets into mouldy food and starts shaking or walking funny, please get them to the vet immediately. Don't waste time posting on DOL about whether you should take them into a vet or not, or wait and see if they calm down! Even if they don't show symptoms, it is a good idea to get them to the vet to either throw up or have a charcoal meal (the charcoal absorbs the nasties). I was very lucky to come home when I did. I'm not the first DOLer that this has happened to either. Note that it also impacts humans. How my nephew is fine I'll never know.

A rescue dog isn't worth less than a prt shop dog ;). Some rescues charge more for some dogs so they can use the profits to help save another dog - what on earth is wring with that. Personally I'm nit a fan of selling dogs on the cheap - it encourages the wring behaviour.