jacqui835

Bottle or can? We taught Sammy to do that, but unfortunately, he likes beer, so when it's a can he tends to 'accidentally' puncture it and help himself to a sample... Sounds like it's going to be an awesome ad though :)

Yeah and you know they don't have to run health checks beyond that for wild canid breeding programs either. It's just there is a much greater chance of undesirable genes propping up when the animals are closely related, not to mention if they are not being bred to increase their health/well-being/ability to perform normal canine functions (but rather for looks and supposed adherence to standards that as Sandgrubber rightly stated, were written long before we knew anything about genetics). You can pay much more than $1200 for a cavalier and still end up with a sick dog - plenty of people do. There are lots of advantages to purebreds because you do have a much better idea of what you are getting. But when you start inbreeding and breeding for extreme traits and consequently negate the benefits of evolution and sexual reproduction - these are terrible things in nature that most species actively avoid (including our own), you need to fall back on science and spend mega bucks on testing just to try and combat some of the potential consequences.

I never expected to see such a controversial statement on this board. However, you express my views perfectly. And mine. I think it's terrible that so many animals are put to sleep each year but the end justifies the means for me. Dogs will be in a very dire situation the day that we only have the registered breeders producing new dogs, in my mind that is not enough to sustain the species. Nobody here can deny that a lot of breeds are in trouble. You've obviously never worked in a pound/shelter. The end certainly DOES NOT justify the means. Whether registered breeders can sustain a species means nil to the poor dogs that are killed every day. Well we will have to agree to disagree. Like I said, I would love to save every animal and gosh if I could count how many times I've been stung by rescuing bees and wasps from pools sigh... But not at the expense of dogs, they are too important and too vital to humans. If every dog aside from those from registered breeders was desexed tomorrow, it would instantly create a situation that in my opinion, would spell the end of domestic dogs improving and perhaps their very survival - not to mention, I fundamentally disagree with the direction a lot of breeds are heading in.

Yes but how often do true mongrels have trouble whelping? Unless your dog has extreme features which really can only be achieved by pure breeds they can usually mate, carry, deliver and raise perfectly fine on their own. A lot of breeds today can not reproduce without surgical intervention and I for one don't really think that's been an improvement for the dogs... The more "wolf-like" breeds have fewer issues, the more extreme you go the more issues you get eg pugs, bull dogs and dogs that are too small.

I never expected to see such a controversial statement on this board. However, you express my views perfectly. And mine. I think it's terrible that so many animals are put to sleep each year but the end justifies the means for me. Dogs will be in a very dire situation the day that we only have the registered breeders producing new dogs, in my mind that is not enough to sustain the species. Nobody here can deny that a lot of breeds are in trouble.

ETA the comment that what I've said could be damaging to the breed's reputation is just ridiculous. Dobermans can't be used for police work in a lot of countries because they get to cold, plus, the GSD's coat affords it extra protection. But in Australia, out in the sun, the doberman has an advantage because it has the shorter coat. My dobie cross has a much easier time in summer than the GSD's. In winter, it would be the other way around but our summers are much longer than our winters and so the short-coat is better suited.

You what? That seems a vast generalisation. Many coats on dogs have evolved as insulation against heat as well as cold, comments like this seem a little ignorant and potentially damaging to a breed's reputation. Plenty of coated breeds live and work successfully in hot climates without being "disabled". Well woopie dah for your dobie x! Also referring to GSDs as 'those things' is pretty offensive! There are just as many ppl out and abt who don't like dobes! (me not included). My dogs have the english style shepherd coat so no they don't walk at 11am in 35 degree heat, yet neither do I, plain stupid unless you and the dog absolutely have to! As ppl have said dogs evolved in places often quite different to where ppl keep them today, dogs with erect ears that can work, you want to pick on Huskies or Mals next? :rolleyes: I wasn't picking on any dogs. People were trying to say that you had a lot of choice if you wanted a dog with erect ears. I am arguing that I don't feel that's the case. I simply said a GSD wouldn't suit me - where I live heat tolerance is much more important than cold and my dogs sleep inside at night. If I moved to the snow, I would happily own a GSD. They are my second favourite breed of dog. Just right now and where I live, a dog with a short coat is going to be much more comfortable, and better able to accompany me when I exercise on days when the temperature is too hot really for a GSD to be outside, much less exercising. We are a very active family and I would hate to have to leave my dog at home. There are no breeds that I know of that have the working ability of the GSD, erect ears and a short coat. So if I could, I would have cropped my dog's ears - as the founder of the breed intended. Of course I'm happy with my dog anyway, I just think dogs in general (like all wild carnivores) are better with erect ears.

I don't think there are that many choices if you want a dog with erect ears. Lets say you want a dog like a doberman - very fast, very athletic, protective and loving. You could get a GSD but man those things shed and they are disabled in the heat (my dog can continue working for a long time after the GSD's have retired due to increasing temperatures). And we have had a few days recently in the high 30's. Well my dogs are still running around in the backyard, a little quieter and enjoying the water features sure, but the GSD's over the road are passed out on the floor inside next to the air conditioner. So short-coated breeds with erect ears - a basenji? a pharaoh hound? Malinois's have very different temperaments to dobermans and GSD's and again it doesn't suit me. There are much fewer breeds with erect ears than floppy, and many of those breeds are the older ones - the spitz and the basenji, pharaoh hounds etc so I don't accept the comment that we have lots of choice if we want an erect eared dog.

Article was interesting but I couldn't get passed those horrible cropped ears in the photos section. shudder For photos of extreme dogs, I recommend: dogshowpoop.blogspot.com Personally, I'm more grossed out by coiffure than ears that have been tampered with. But then, I'm not into cosmetics and I would never own a long haired dog. I'm with you sandgrubber. The ears are just a one-off procedure - couple of months and the dog has erect ears for a life time that usually don't warrant any further concern. Plus I like the look of erect ears on dobermans and great danes but that's a personal thing. Those coats though - that's a lifetime commitment and I can imagine it would be quite miserable for the dog if not maintained perfectly...

After working 3 jobs at once to save to afford my investment property I think I have every right to say what potential tennants have in MY home. Personally I really like the idea of a pet bond but think it should be more in the vacinity of $1000-$2000 to cover potenital damages. We had a tenant who fell behind in her rent by the time she was evicted (so that used up the bond)and discovered she had 2 large dogs (which being nice - never again) which we said were fine to stay so long as she repaired any damaged done by them. When she moved out the dogs had done almost $2500 worth of damage I think if landlords are forced to accept tenants with animals then perhaps there may be a few less rental properties available. That's hilarious. The person paying the mortgage has every right to be given applications by the property manager and say No, No, No, No...this one looks good - young professional non smoking skippy couple with no children and no animals. Accept it. The more demands that are placed on investment owners, the faster they'll ditch their investment properties and sink their money into something else. Then tenants will really have something to complain about. And then let's see them complain there's nothing available to rent... I've had tenants where just one of the parents earnt more than I did, so I was surprised they didn't purchase their own. I worked hard and saved hard, but it's not impossible. Turns out when I went to do a repair on something, their kids had EVERY toy they ever wanted, the house was PACKED and looked horrid. Each to their own, I just rent it out, I don't dictate how someone should live. I currently rent to a family with 4 kids and an ACD - rent is paid, and PM says property is in good order, though I'm scant to believe that myself as I am yet to find a PM I can trust sufficiently. YES. Panto has one... my friends think it's hilarious, then they sheepishly ask if they can copy it because they would like to move somewhere pet friendly :laugh: That's a total load of BS. It's tenants not prioritising things in the right order - like living a little further away or looking just that bit harder. It's not not being able to find, it's not trying hard enough. Unless it's someone with health issues that needs to be very close to a particular hospital (or other such circumstance), it's not that hard. And if its because they've got a bad credit/rental history, and get knocked back from the pet friendly rentals, then that's the reason, and not because there isn't pet friendly rentals available. This is wrong in my opinion. I work full time in the city and the longer I spend away from my pets the more likely they are to cause problems, and yet the irony is that it's much harder to get a rental close to the city that allows pets. I have no credit history problems, great references for me, my partner and the dog and we earn decent money. But finding a rental was a horrible and very stressful process and I truly hope that we have found somewhere to buy before we next have to move. I don't think people should have to disclose pets or children, but I do think references are extremely important.

Just wondering, what should your dog's ears smell like? My dog's ears have been checked by the vet, and are always deemed very clean and healthy but his are slightly pricked so there's some air flow. That said, they have a distinct, mild odour and this is probably going to sound really gross... but I kind of like it, kind of how I like the smell of his paws. It's not unpleasant at all, but they are definitely not odourless. ETA it is very faint, like you have to have your nose in the ear to be able to smell it, you would certainly never smell it when he was lying next to you or anything.

Are you for real! I'm sorry that my friend didn't have the capacity in a split instance to calcualte the angle and extension of a dogs lead, taking into consideration the length of the owners arm and elasticity of the lead. That's what I do and have had my fair share of dogs lunge at me over the years in that type of situation. The point I am making is that you can't trust people will handle their dogs accordingly and take the initiative myself. It's too late to argue who is right or wrong if perhaps you had a child with you and half his/her face missing? wow, where on earth do you walk that you have been lunged at multiple times while just trying to walk past on lead dogs without a dog yourself. Certainly sounds like a dangerous neighbourhood and one to be avoided at all costs. Nice one, put all the blame on the victim, who did try and avoid the dogs :rolleyes: She may have moved off the footpath but how far from the dog 6 inches? 4 or 5 feet away from a leashed dog and you are pretty safe. I would prefer not to take the chance and give the dog some room is all I am saying, IMHO if you get bitten by a dog on leash you are too close? I have walked out onto the side of the road to avoid small dogs on retractor leads with owners who's dog is all over the place, works for me :D I find this completely unacceptable. If dogs were so dangerous that it was reasonable to expect people to cross the road to avoid them, or in this case, get off the footpath and move to unstable/dangerous terrain (be it rocks or road or whatever) then we shouldn't be allowed to own them. I expect owners to warn me of their dog's intentions, if I need to avoid their dog then they need to warn me because I (and everyone else for that matter) has as much right to walk around the neighbourhood as they do in peace. If someone allows their dog to attack you for nothing more than walking past and giving as much room as you could, then they are completely at fault and to leave anyone on the ground injured especially if you and your 'property' are the cause of the injury is absolutely disgusting. Of course you don't antagonise dogs or people, or ignore warnings, but I truly hope that we never live in a world where it is truly reasonable to expect people to make significant effort to avoid all dogs.

I always have wondered why if they don't allow dogs why they would allow children. Well in practice, they don't, they just can't put it on the ad. The first rental I ever had the owner told me it had come down to who they thought would do less damage, the 2 children under 5, or my trained dog. Rent was $100/wk more than the other half of the semi that wasn't pet friendly, but a gay couple lived there. But the house was in better condition when I moved out, so I got fantastic references from a large real estate agency and now have secured other houses. I had a very hard time finding my first rental, even though we were prepared to pay at the higher end of the market. I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like if money was tight and we couldn't afford $100 more just to keep our dog.

Time for more pics I think :)

Don't worry, a lot of people do the same with my dog, and then half the time give up because he hasn't done it after 10 'sits'. They can learn the difference between people (as Huski was saying too) and if you always follow through with your commands, the dog should learn to listen to you even if to everyone else it appears all but deaf lol.