aussielover

Boxers and labs are great fun! Are you after a "fun" dog or a more serious/laid back dog? They generally love kids if brought up with them and make great family pets. I don't think its as hard to train these two breeds as some people make out. Labs are generally very food motivated and both labs and boxers are eager to please. Keep your dog busy and well exercised and trained and you'll have no trouble. But if you can't manage to do this- if you can't keep consistent rules and be firm about enforcing them, if you can't commit to at least 1 hr of exercise (for an adult dog) and 15 mins of training a day, then the labrador and Boxer may not be right for you.

I do not see this as an acceptable excuse to drag a dog across the floor and then lift it up on to the scales using the lead as the op had described. How hard can it be to look up the dog's file or ask the nurse to do it? If the dog was so groggy, surely this would have been a better option? Otherwise, get two people to lift him onto the scales if he is that groggy.

He really should have known the wieght, as they need to calculate the dosage for the pre-med and also induction drug for the anaesthetic. Perhaps he had it recorded somewhere else but had forgotten or couldn't be bothered to get it? As Staranais said, there is a difference between being firm and no-nonsense and rough handling, which only you would know as you were there. If you feel he was rough handling your dog, then make a complaint. Personally I would have tried to bribe him with a treat rather than drag him onto the scales (or would have looked at his file or notes, so as not to stress him at all) We actually have a bowl of treats at head/shoulder height to entice dogs onto our scales!

So far I considered: - Adopting an ex-race greyhound. Pluses: good with kids, intelligent, no major health issues, does not need extensive exercising. Also it nice to feel that you are saving the dog (our cat was bought from cat rescue organisation). Concerns: cat compatibility. Cat and dog going to share backyard and I'm not sure if ANY greyhound will not be tempted seeing small and fluffy cat chasing butterflies in the backyard. Very good choice for a first time dog owner. They have minimal exercise requirements and are generally laid back. You can get Cat-Friendly Greys as long as you go through a reputable rehoming group such as GAP. The only consideration might be that they can be somewhat unreliable off-lead (tendency to chase things), without extensive training may be unsuitable to take on bush walks. - Boxer. Seems to be a perfect family dog. Intelligent, loyal and trainable. Bit concerned about health issues (cancers, heart diseases, etc). Love their faces. Boxers are great fun, but have pretty high exercise requirements i think? But an hour and a half a day would probably be enough (i'll leave that to boxer people to clarify though). They usually make great family dogs provided they receive good training. - Hungarian Vizsla. Looks absolutely gorgeous. Healthy. Intelligent. Not sure if we'll be able to provide proper level of exercising though. Also I heard that vizslas could be a bit stubborn and not as easily trainable as, say, boxers. Very energetic and "velcro dogs" meaning they crave human company. - Labradors. Do not know much about them, but seeing how many labs on the streets it must be a good dog. Worried that with their popularity labs are overbreed and it will be difficult to find good quality pup. Yeah, and black ones are beautiful. A well bred lab would also be perfect. They have pretty high exercise requirements and needs lots of interaction and training to get the best out of your lab. But they are also one of the most adaptable dogs in the world, hence why they are used extensively as service dogs. As you mentioned it is very important to get a well bred one, but I am sure DOLers can help you out with that. And yes, the black ones are gorgeous (you have great taste lol!) How could you resist this? Sorry for long and boring post. DOLers love helping people choosing breeds, so I doubt you have bored anyone! You seem to have put a lot of thought into your choice of dogs. Good luck and please let us know what you decide. Personally I get the feeling you seem most keen on the Boxer, and they seem to fit your situation pretty well, as long are you prepared to put in the training!

I am looking forward to seeing the results too! Some of those questions seem to have a lot to do with socialisation, training and the training ability of the owner

No i would love it! I think its a lovely gesture.

Thats horrible I also want to know what kind of poison kills a fully grown labrador in 15 minutes! Surely this is a serious risk to young kids as they are known to put random stuff in their mouths and would way much less than a 25kg lab. Surprised the council and police are not more concerned.

It sounds like mild separation anxiety. Digging a hole may have a number of causes, and as you said, you dont know which dog dug it. Do you leave her with plenty of interactive toys such as kongs, treat balls etc. How long do you normally leave her for? Start leaving her for very short periods (eg. 5 minutes at a time) and leave her with something really fun/yummy. You could even start by just leaving her in a separate room for a few minutes. Don't fuss over her when you leave or when you arrive back. My dog follows me wherever I go, she would even follow me into the bathroom/shower etc. Most days she is not left on her own, but sometimes I have to do stuff without her (like have a life :D) and she never fusses. She usually sleeps- I always make sure I have done a big play and training session or walk with her before I leave so she is tired. I leave her with toys, and a treat ball or kong. Sometimes she rips the leaves off my trees and bushes, but I think this is fun for her, rather than separation anxiety. I think it is funny, as i dont really like the bushes anyway lol. Dogs with severe separation anxiety would destroy your home or backyard due to the stress.

OMG!!! Are you serious??? I don't think ANY breed of dog should be on 6-10 cups of food a day!!! Start feeding her once a day, only leave the food down for 20-30 minutes and take it away. A healthy dog won't starve itself and you said she wasn't skinny anyway. Personally i have not found advance to be the best nor the most tasty dog food in the world, so you may consider a change to a brand like royal canin (I have found this to be the most popular with dogs in boarding and good for fussy eaters). Eagle pack and Nutro are also recommended by people here. I would also like to know how much dog grow (if at all) during the 7-12 month period. I don't think it would be a lot though, if anything they would be more likely to fill out a bit more rather than get taller.

1 cup of kibble mixed with chopped carrots and some cooked pumpkin if you like. The carrots literally go straight through them, but help them to feel more full. If you cut the food back dramatically without adding a filler, they can start to eat poo and other non-edible things.

I think you have to be pretty "dog crazy" to have more than 10 dogs (not saying thats a bad thing!)

Puppy farm dogs, like many shelter dogs, will not have the quality, temperament or upbringing required for a service dog.

I'm afraid that all the ones I know are not that nice, but I think that has to do with the neurotic owners, rather than the dogs themselves. Once the dogs are removed from the owners they settle down and are quite nice. Probably a lot has to do with the owner and the upbringing of the dog. As others haver said, it is important not to baby them too much

Do you really believe that? Where will the police, customs, guide dogs, assistance dogs etc source their dogs from? OK I will play the Why game. Why do these sorts of jobs require purebred dogs over cross bred desigener dogs made for these jobs, or even better why not dogs selected from the animal shelter? Why do we as selfish humans inslave any dog purebred or not purebred, to do these jobs? That is what animal rights groups would answer to your WHY. Why do people think that you can have animal rights groups and the government direct and manage how dogs are to be bred and anyone in their right mind would want to step into that no win situation? These sort of jobs have a strict criteria- physical and mental. They need dogs that have a proven history of success and certain temperament traits. They also require a specific size of dog (for police and guide dogs) and many need to very sensitive puppy-raising period, in order to get the best out of the dog. You can't get these from cross bred dogs or shelter dogs. Is it not more selfish to let humans suffer without the aid of an assistance dog? Many of these dogs are also loving companions for their handlers and enjoy their work.

My lab does this as well. I always thought it was a retriever thing- they like having something in their mouth at all times (particularly food ). My pup's retrieving instinct has just started to kick in- she is finally bringing her sticks and balls back to me. Its funny becuase she won't drop them at my feet (like my other dog did) but instead will want me to take them out of her mouth. I guess that would be a good thing for gundog work/retrieving trials?

I agree with poodlefan, although at my obedience club, there are quite a few dog aggressive dogs that are pretty intimidating. They are of course on lead (as all dogs are) but they do occasionally lunge at other dogs. Also depending on how big the club is, the environment can be pretty overwhelming, 20+ dogs barking and carrying on would be pretty scary for a timid little pup. I opted to pull out of obedience till my pup was older- instead i did what was called a "manners class" which is a follow on from puppy pre-school and there is a limit of 4 dogs in the group, all of which are well socialised. The classes consist of training exercises, talking (so the pups have to learn to sit quietly around other pups and people) and playtime, which is closely supervised. Perhaps there might be something like this in your area? If not, do you know any well-socialised dogs you could arrange a playdate with? I wouldn't be taking him to a dog park yet, he could be bowled over by other dogs playing or even attacked by aggressive dogs.

I'm sorry to hear about your girl. I lost my dog in feb last year to a neuro condition I would get the MRI done if you can afford it. Then you can at least rule out a tumour and go from there. If it is a tumour, then as you said, you can just make the most of your time together.

Do you really believe that? Where will the police, customs, guide dogs, assistance dogs etc source their dogs from?

Many dogs are predisposed to ear infections due to the shape of ear. It is important to keep the ears as dry as possible. If your dog has floppy ears, you may need to tie them back for a few periods during the day to allow them to aerate. Also, some dogs have very hairy ears. They may need to be plucked by a vet under sedation. You may wipe the visible part of the ear with water, but make sure you dry them properly and I would not be sticking any solutions down the ear without consulting a vet.

I house sat a one year old GR x poodle with my 7 month old puppy. I found it pretty easy actually. If anything both dogs became more attentive to me, my puppy's recall actually improved a lot. You know you dog best though and whether they are at the stage (training wise) where you can confidently add another dog.

I agree with those that say just let her sleep where she wants. You have provided her with somewhere warm and comfortable and if she chooses to sleep elsewhere, so what? You might like to put a trampoline bed outside in the shade somewhere too, in case she is too hot in the shed. I had a dog very similar, despite having several beds, both in the house and outside, would choose to lie on the concrete (not even the grass). I guess its like how some people like really hard beds, and some people like soft, squishy beds lol My puppy now is a soft squishy bed girl, just like me I have to admit it is nice having a dog that actually appreciates and uses the nice bedding you provide them with

Wait for 5-10 seconds of silence- then feed them, or give them a bone. That way you are rewarding them for silence not barking ;) You can gradually increase the length of silence you expect.

oooh an aussie puppy- so cute! I took my puppy the next day after I brought her home. she had no problems and really enjoyed it. She was the cheekiest puppy there from day 1 (also the smartest imo lol). she was more boisterous and crazy on the first day (probably being due to lots of new things happening), but calmed down a bit in the subsequent classes. I think it is good for them (providing they are not overly shy or nervous), I like to get them to experience as many new places and people as possible while they are babies.

well, in my opinion, any behaviour an owner is not happy with, is a problem because it results in stress for the owner and negative or reduced interaction with the dog. There are varying degrees of "problems" and the severity will depend on the owners situation. My dog is indifferent to being patted/interacted with anyone other than myself (or the main handler). This is actually an asset for guide dog work, but probably a big drawback for any type of therapy work. At the moment, it is not something I am going to try to change. I would like to do pets as therapy work in the future though and if she fails and i get to keep her, then I might consider trying to get her to enjoy being patted more (or get a second, more friendly dog lol). Any behaviour which poses a serious risk to other people or the dog itself (aggression, running away, chasing, jumping etc) should be dealt with immediately and something that should not be allowed in ANY dog.