megan_

Has anyone struggled to put the venom ones up? One of the latches on the of the sides was waaaay higher than the others and I actually got my finger caught in it - I almost passed out from paid as I couldn't collapse the crate to free it for about 10 mins. I now leave it up. If they're all built like this I'd not recommend them.

Lunging and growling aren't the only sign of an impending attack -staring is one too, especially if the dogs body is stiff. Some breeds don't growl or lung before an attack. For example, if a dog is in prey drive it will stare and stiffen up (and often dip it's head). It is dangerous to assume this posture is are.

When I wake up at 5am and when I get home around 6.30-7pm

Sometimes it isn't just about how the dog is coping , it is how the human is coping to. It's not like you can just rehome a dog with issues. People shouldn't have to endure 10 years of misery because the adopters dog. I'm not talking about myself or anyone here BTW. I love Lucy very much and she fits into my lifestyle quite well. If I had children though there is no doubt in my mind that she would be PTS. She just isn't stable enough to be around an unpredictable child and supervision and management wouldn't be enough. If people want to judge me on that then so be it.

I love my dogs, spend lots of time with them ( nights and weekends) but I don't believe that there is anything wrong with having a life outside of your dogs - I think it's healthy. If my dogs need to stay somewhere they stay at our trainers house (cosmolo on this forum ). Both her and her husband are trainers and they have four dogs who my dogs love. They love going to their " holiday home " and I can go visit family without worrying if someone will leave the gate open etc. There is nothing wrong if you occasionally go to the city as long as you make arrangements in advance ( I'm not a fan ov leaving the dogs home and having someone pop over to feed them - too lonely for them ).

Many RSPCA facilities have professional behaviourist - some DOLers in fact . I'd be pretty certain that they would have assessed these dogs and wouldn't have made the call of rejoining together lightly.

Yip - that the difference between them and the others.

I'm in Melbourne and it costs about $1000 per night for you dog to stay in energency overnight . This incldes a blood test and fluids but nothing else (ie this is before you dog has had any medications or OP) so $2000 for a condition isn't much at all. Their terms are different too. PP will cover a condition for life and will pay for that condition to your limit every year. The others might cover the condition for life, but will only got up to the annual limit for the life of the dog for that condition. If you're thinking about insurance , get it ASAP. Everything that happens between now and when you get it will be an exclusion. For example, if your dog gets a UTI before you're insured then UTI's will be excluded for life.

No need to kick yourself sc. I often tell my dogs that I'm the handler that they've got so they're just going to have to adjust ... Sometimes the dogs make mistakes, sometimes we do - it all evens out.

It may depend on the size of the dog?

Just remember when you change you won't be covered for anything ore-existing - including anything that has happened before . So if your dog has had a bladder infection before , for example, chances are they will never pay out for any bladder infection for the life of the dog even if it isn't listed as an exclusion in your policy . Fergus got a stick stuck in his mouth as a pup before I switched companies - stick in mouth " is now a permanent exclusion, even though it isn't a continuing condition.

Lulu love - with pet plan, for lifetime illnesses, you will be covered to the limit every year. For the others, they will only pay to the limit for the lifetime of the dog for life - long illnesses I believe .

Vet should make people aware of the top shelf treatment whether or not they know their clients have pet insurance. It should always be an option. I never said they don't offer top shelf treatment to everyone?

I find most clients are the ones going forward with the top shelf treatment, because they have insurance. Not because a vet pushes it. In fact, in some instances you have to ramp clients back a bit. I'm not suggesting vets are doing anything wrong . Yes , they have to give all options but if you have insurance you're most probably going to choose the top shelf treatment all the time . I go to a very good vet who sees lots of sports dogs. He had some treatment for a sore back and the vet prescribeb 2 weeks rest. If it was still sore we could do an X-ray then to check that it is not structural ( he didn't think it was ). He mentioned I could have the X-day now before the rest. What did I close? Have the X-ray now. If I didn't have insurance and was short of cash, I would have waited and only had the X-ray if he hadn't come good after the rest. As long as it is up to the client to choose top shelf treatment every time (even if wait and see is a valid option) insurance premiums are going to go up. Something has to change IMO, I just don't know what....

I can understand the increase - most vets suggest the top shelf treatment when they know you have insurance?

If you can't contain a dog, you shouldn't get a dog . When you own more than one, they can act as a pack and your management of them needs to be taken up a notch. I ooked at getting a giant schnauzer at one stage. Even though I have 6 ft fencing , part if my budget for the dog was getting colour bond to at least. 7ft. ( which would require council approval). These were my prerequisites for buying a large dog that could clear a 6 ft fence . With great dog, comes great responsibility.

I'm not an obedience person , but I've seen uta bindel place rewards on a plate behind the dog for distance work , so they move away to get the reward. You need to make sure they can't break and get to it (so a sealed container or remote trainer works well ). That way, you're there to open the container so you're still the lady that pays.

The stays and distance work are away from the recall reinforcement zone , so that could be it ? He wants to be close to the lady that pays? In agility, and I assume obedience too , you have the reinforcement zone near you , but you also need to reinforce away from you as you want them to do this comfortably. It might just be one of those temporary things as he plays more of these games he's going to want to be close . Maybe add some distance games to introduce more balance

A lot of councils run small business courses. They will help you build a business plan etc. I'd do this before investing any money. The sad reality is that most small businesses in Australia. This can be due to no business plan, investing too much up front and not having adequate cash flow. When selling online your local stores aren't your only competition, everyone online is. To understand your market better, before spending a cent, I would: * survey the competition (what are their prices, how do they market, what are their differentiators?) * survey your target market to find out what they're interested in and what they would be willing to pay. Surveymonkey is free. Be careful not to just survey friends - they will tell you what you want to hear. I would post surveys o lots of dog forums. - they are your target market. I wouldn't just do DOL - people here are likely to pay more than most. I know a few people who have imported stuff. The common mistake is that they get excited and outlay money on stuff they can't get rid of. Part of your business plan would be how much you can afford to outlay if you don't sell stuff quickly . People are quick to say "yeah I'd be interested in that" but when it comes time to actually buy something they don't want to part with their cash. I hope my post doesn't sound to negative ....Good luck !

A lot of councils run small business courses. They will help you build a business plan etc. I'd do this before investing any money. The sad reality is that most small businesses in Australia. This can be due to no business plan, investing too much up front and not having adequate cash flow. When selling online your local stores aren't your only competition, everyone online is. To understand your market better, before spending a cent, I would: * survey the competition (what are their prices, how do they market, what are their differentiators?) * survey your target market to find out what they're interested in and what they would be willing to pay. Surveymonkey is free. Be careful not to just survey friends - they will tell you what you want to hear. I would post surveys o lots of dog forums. - they are your target market. I wouldn't just do DOL - people here are likely to pay more than most. I know a few people who have imported stuff. The common mistake is that they get excited and outlay money on stuff they can't get rid of. Part of your business plan would be how much you can afford to outlay if you don't sell stuff quickly . People are quick to say "yeah I'd be interested in that" but when it comes time to actually buy something they don't want to part with their cash. I hope my post doesn't sound to negative ....Good luck !

Maybe pm cosmolo. Her JRT is very allergic to bees. I believe she has something on hand to give him as, chances are, if he gets stung he might not make it to the vets in time :-(. I believe he's indoors when she's not at home (but her and her hubby are trainers do he's out on the road with them a lot).

Show me that definition please.... You are legally required to provide safe passage to your front door. That is the law.

In response to amax: Nope it doesvt. It is no unlawful to enter someone's front yard if the gate is unlocked. If they ask you to leave you have to. If the gate is locked and you jump over the fence it is unlawful. Are you honestly suggesting that if you pop over to your neighbours house to say hi , enter through an unlocked gate then it is okay for them to " release the hounds" on you without even asking uou to leave? That is not now the law works. The reason the police are saying the owner might not be accountable is because some reports say the gate was locked and the kid jumped the fence.

But someone walking into an unlocked front yard isn't an intruder - the law says you must provide safe passage to your front door.

Even if the gate was unlocked? I believe that the whole " the law favours intruders" is largely a myth. The owner elected to have the dogs PTS in this instance.