LizT

Well whatever dog she gets I'm sure it will be a happy little dog living in a forever home....I just really, really wish it wasn't coming from somewhere that breeds a large amount of overpriced puppies. But as has often been stated here what constitutes a "large amount"??? If you hire and pay staff to attend to the needs, both emotional and physical of the dogs does that not make it okay? Is it better to buy from a "one person show" where the breeder clearly is run off his/her feet and doesn't have enough time for the animals?? Where is the 'accepted definition", where is the line in the sand? Meanwhile let us all continue to try to do the 'right' thing by OUR charges, pets, working, show dogs or otherwise. Even small differences make big changes. One thing IS or sure...whatever dog Julia gets it going to cause a "Kerfluffle" !!

Interesting....did you hear clearly? Poodle...cavoodle sound very similar. ETA Tony Abbott did call her a mincing poodle ;)

That's probably because people don't know where it came from. WTF is a Shebitan? (in the testimonials page) My guess is Sheltland Sheepdog cross Tibetian Spaniel.

That's probably because people don't know where it came from. omg. perhaps he was the one plugging farms. they can say anything they like on their websites and make it look extra good. where are their brains these politicians. this is getting way too ridiculous for words all this. where did it say it was a rescue? Are your refer to K Rudds dog? I have seen a photo of him and the dog "being settled in by a RSPCA Officer". Am I missing something here??? ETA Oh, I just saw the where it came from link. So what have they got to do with the RSPCA and Rescue??

Our Nations Leader taking on a "Rescue".....now that's something I think EVERYONE would have loved to see. If I remember rightly didn't K-Rudd have a rescue Lab at the Lodge?? A Golden Retriever called Abbey.....and no-one objected to that!! :D

Our Nations Leader taking on a "Rescue".....now that's something I think EVERYONE would have loved to see.

Very true. Also just wanted to point out, although Tim is buying this dog as a present for Julia do you not think that she had say in the breed she wanted...? I am sure he asked her opinion and took her advice on what breed she was after. True...and it could have gone something like this... "Oh, I don't know Tim, I like Cavaliers and I've always loved poodles....."

Oh sorry but what a load of crap, td. He's buying her a puppy - end of story. Yeah it's disappointing but you really think the 'rest of the world' even has the Australian PM on Red Alert because her boyfriend buys her a mongrel? It will reflect on the whole nation on a global scale? Come on...get serious. People buy puppies every day of the week. Sadly, Raz is right. He could have bought her a fur coat and only a few would really care.

The whole point to their marketing since way back in Don Burkes most active pro DD days is that they dont need to test because each breed has different recessives. While ever there is no mandatory health testing and breeders from all groups dont test its rather a wasted argument .For every commercial breeder you find who doesnt test you can find breeders from any group who dont test . Fact is it works more in their favour than against it as their stance is there is no need - and there isnt for recessives. But where is the merit in breeding a "well boned dog" (Cavalier) with a fined boned dog(Poodle)??? You could end up with a strong boned body on spindly legs?? Not a good thing where both breeds can have pattelar issues.

Well as a Registered Breeder who health tests both her parents and puppies I have sent off a email highlighting the issues/problems she may face. I have asked if her puppies parents have been health tested and if the litter will be seeing a vererinary opthamologist at 6 weeks of age. I've also pointed out all the other issues I could remember from "Pets sold in Pet Shops for more than the average breeder would charged, Pets being bred "en mass" for the almightly $$$$ and "Wally Conran' regret re" the "Labradoodle". Shedding and hyper allergy myths etc. Asked her if the term "Oscars Law" meant anything to her? Not much else we can do.

UTI not withstanding (always a good idea to have the dog checked if more frequent urination is ongoing.) Sometimes a change in diet or foods that are saltier (some pigs ears are salted to make them cracklier)can make a dog drink more or even the onset of warmer weather or vigourous exercising and there you have several possible cause and affect senarios.

I have often heard people refer to the colour of a brown dogs nose as being 'liver'.

This suggests a great form of civil disobedience. Everyone, call in a Labrador, call in a greyhound, call in a JRT, call in a boxer, call in a papered SBT or two, call in anything that can't possibly be identified as a pit bull. Keep them flooded with calls and make it clear that the 'standard' is a farce. So..... we are looking out for a chocolate Poodle with 'snown nose'!! I mean it could be a pit bull. ;) Especially if we 'muscle it up' with a shaped clip!!!

All dogs have the capacity to have a go and ultimately the risk of death is tantamount when the fight is not a matched one in size and strength. Idiots for letting those dogs, all three get within a bulls roar of each other!!! Yes, even small breeds can kill each other, I know of a breeder who had Papillions and got out of breeding them becasue Quote "she was sick of them killing each other!!!" Unquote. I was very surprised to hear this but can see that all desecndents of the wolf have that same that capacity. Some just have it bred in them stronger than others.

Was out feeding the horses this morning when a lovely big matt black snake with a cream under belly (Copperhead)casually glided by in front of me taking refuge in a woodpile created after a tree had fallen by the dam. Hubby had chopped up the wood but left the pile sitting by the remainder of the tree. Bet he wont be going near that woodpile now till July 2012!! So best keep an eye on our inquisative canines!

I have been following much of the recent comments here and I think the issue is tied up in the term "Puppy Farmer". We have a tendency to attribute all of the mistreatment of dogs breed 'en mass' to :Puppy Farmers". Certainly I don't believe dogs are an animal that can sucessfully be kept and bred in large numbers and herein lies some of the problem...but as stated and seen many times before breeders, registered or not registered breeding even a small number of dogs have been guilty of the most horrendous neglect by not taking care of the simplest of needs of their charges. Certainly it is not just about whether or not a bitch has been bred too many times. I too have seen a maiden horse prolapse on her first foal. Sadly these things can happen for a number of reasons, not just because the animal has been bred a large number of times. That said however, when one sees an animal that is undernourished, infested with parasites, has dull, matted fur that is soiled with faeces and urine stains, infected ears, decayed and missing teeth. These are all things the layman can evaluate in moments. There is cerainly no splitting of hairs here about whether the animal is being cared for adequately or not. So perhaps instead of using a collective description such as "Puppy Farmer" or "Puppy Miller" both the public, media and those who ultimaltely will be making the decisions regarding the future of dog breeding should refer to these cases as "Neglegent Dog Breeders". A very interesting comment was made earlier in this thread about "Registered Breeders" and the need for Breeding Records kept by bodies such as the ANKC to keep records of the death of animals as well as births. Thus helping to evaluate the success of the breeding program. This would be a very useful tool in dog breeding but unfortunately almost impossible to keep records such as these as the onus would fall on the purchaser of the dog to stay in contact with the breeder for the lifetime of the animal OR to contact the registering body themselves to report the death of their pet. Not something most people could be bothered doing. Even the most enthusiastic of puppy buyers tend to fall off with their corresprondence as the years go by. Also accidents leading to death happen alot to dogs, cars, snakes, injuries, and even theft. This would not give an accurate picture of the improvment of longevity in the breeders program.

You could possibly have replied with the opening line of "I will not sell entire puppies to pet homes and do require a desexing contract to such homes. However, I will give consideration to someone interested in learning about the breed and contributing to the betterment of the breed by underaking some education, mentoring about the breed ,becoming a registered breeder who health tests both parents and pups etc. etc. I am happy to discuss or explain any of these details with you." I did like your expanation of why you choose to do this.

I have a similar situation when I leave my adult girls crate door open at night. They complain at the puppy gate. If I close the crate door they are then quiet and go to sleep. I believe that by leaving the door open the are missing the trigger or signal they identify as "sleep time". I think the same is happening with your puppy. Door closed = Sleep time. Door open = Sometime other than sleeping, such as time with mum, games, fun etc.

Awwww....he looks so sad! (and cute!)

I think at this point local Councils and MP's would use the line "Oh, we are just trying to ban Pitt Bulls because they are a 'known'dangerous breed that have killed and maimed etc. etc. blah, blah. I'm concerned that if we used "ALL BREEDS" at this stage, something would get lost in translation and the point would be moot.

Also a few ideas are being thrown around in the "What Can We Do?" thread as well.

Saw a follow up on the story in the News last night where they interviewed the poor fellow and he was very distressed. His little dog seemed okay, which is good. Anyway, here's the thing, they say they are looking for a white dog with brown spots on his face and a red collar. Doesn't sound like a lab to me.???? Some kind of Cross Lab perhaps.

I don't care what the breed is. A person has the right to go for a walk without another dog attacking their pet. My parents live in the Northern suburbs of Melbourne and they have a friend with a Jack Russell who was set apon by a Rottweiller (no, I'm not having a go at the breed, they are one of my (many) favourites) that jumped it's low fence and savaged the little dog, requiring expensive life saving surgery. The owners of the JRT are still trying to get the owners of the Rottie to contribute to the massive vet bills. My elderly parents (mum 74, Dad 80) are too frightened to take their 8 year old Rescue Cavalier for a walk around the block now. When dad goes on his own the dog barks but stays in it's yard, he's not willing to risk the safety of a poor little dog that was only recently rescued from a Puppy Farm and is enjoying his twilight years now.

True. Some people have told me they thought a BYBer was a "non commercial breeder" or "hobbyist".

Damn. You did warn me.