aussielover

I honestly wouldn't do it. There are very few group training situations where the dog will learn to competition heel (at least the way I would like my dog to do it- animated, happy and attentive). For a beginner dog even 1 minute of "heeling" is too much. Additionally do you want to set your dog up for failure by having other dogs, other people etc distracting them (at best) and actually scaring them or giving them a bad experience at worst. Most group classes last for an hour and there are very few beginner dogs that can maintain the level of focus and precision that I personally desire, training for that length of time. Your money would be better spent on an online course. I would personally not go into a group unless my dog was already working reliably at home and with some distraction. Once you think your dog is ready for trialling or working at a good level, joining an advanced group (ideally a trialling group if available) may be of some benefit. Good luck!

Aside from health problems related to being brachy, French Bulldogs are almost the ideal pet for inner city people. They're generally friendly, low maintenance, have moderate exercise requirements, come in a range of colors and are cute. I can see why they are popular.

I actually agree that there is no point in charging higher rego for entire dogs. Truly irresponsible owners are unlikely to register their dogs in the first place. Having a higher fee for entire animals may well put some people off registration. But you really can't compare Australia to Norway- the attitude towards dogs and culture is so different. as for desexing- I wouldn't judge anyone either way. However it is clear that willem feels people who choose to desex are the "unethical" ones who are risking their dogs health, rather than the opposite way around which he implies in the title of this thread.

No if anything I think many resemble rotties more than labs.

If it is safe to do so I would leave her outside when you are not home. That way she can't make any mistakes. As long as you provide a warm kennel, toys and interactive food dispensers such as a Kong or treat ball a 6 month old kelpie should be able to handle being outside for a few hours. Additionally I would still expect a few accidents at 6 months of age and wouldn't panic too much at this stage.

What exactly are you looking for in a home check? I don't things like an unfenced yard should always be a barrier to owning a dog. I'm 100% sure I could keep my dog safe and happy even if we didn't have a fenced yard. She stays indoors when I'm not home. I'm not that keen on having some random inspect my house. Especially having seen here on dol (judging by the home check requests)that the person doing the check may not even be a member of the organization or met anyone from the rescue group.

Do you own your own home? I think lots of people with pets would jump at the chance to house share as it's quite difficult to find a house share situation that allows dogs. When I was in a share house the resident dog definitely benefited from the playmate and extra training and walks.

Her biggest lapse of judgement was the original Facebook post. She really should have known better, and you would expect a "celebrity" to understand the power of social media. At least she apologized.

If she was that dangerous she could not even be handled for a walk why was she not put down? A dog is better off dead than locked in a small cage for 2 years with no interaction.

What's the bet they won't comply with the DD regulations anyway.

I really like German pinschers and think they would fit most of your criteria except for being s guard dog. They're actually quite small dogs (<15kg) and not really intimidating. Like most dogs they could probably be easily taught to alert bark though

I guess it depends on the type of cafe. I've been to a few where the owners dog/s just wander around but they all have outdoor areas as well. I also thought greyhound would suit. And they are large enough to be at least a deterrent to an opportunistic burglar, if not a good watch dog.

Seeing as you own the business could you take the dog to work with you?

There are plenty of people who could catch him judging by his Facebook page- they just choose not to. I think it's a combination of selfishness- no doubt he brings pleasure to their life and makes them feel special as they are part of only a small group that can interact with him. I also think they genuinely think he needs to be "free" They enjoy interacting with him and "looking after" him without the usual responsibilities that come with owning a pet. I doubt many of his enablers would step up and take responsibility financially and legally if he were hit by a car or injured someone.

Is it important practicing with a proper thrower before doing a RATG trial? Also where do you get pigeons from?