budgiew

She must have missed the documentary that showed a Labrador in training ; jump out of a helicopter into an icy lake to rescue a drowning person.

you do know your dog can die from a reaction to a vaccine too, or be put down because of it? There is a risk both ways, it's up to the individual to make their own informed choice. Yes Rebanne;I do know a dog can die from a reaction to a vaccine;I still choose to vaccinate.English ivy covered it.

Thanks Dju,I understand.If she was younger i think she would have pulled through;She was tough.

When i said about it being a personal choice;i meant from the point of view that i have no right to advise others about what is the right thing to do with their animals.IMO However i do believe that vaccination is the way to go.Anyone can be informed about a disease,but when you have experienced it first hand as i have you never want to go through it again.I would rather my pup had had a reaction to a vaccine than seen her fitting and foaming at the mouth and knowing that nothing could be done for her.

Jetty;She had always had the one that you puff in the nose,sorry not sure what one you call it.We lived next door to dog breeders and groomers and the people behind us had mates who visited with random dogs.My usual vet was always happy to give her usual vaccinations,but that time i saw another vet.He was quit gruff about it and seemed annoyed about me wanting her to have it.He just kept insisting she no longer needed to have it.So i trusted what he said,I will always feel guilty and wonder if she would have got sick if she had been done...There was no mention about her age. edited for clarity.

Yes;When i was a kid in the 1960's I can remember an outbreak that swept our neighborhood ,and many dogs died.When i was 16 and had my first job i bought a Bull terrier pup . I did not know then what i do now about dogs.I got her from a market;it turned out that she had distemper and was PTS.My last dog was always fully vaccinated until she was 9 then the vet said she didn't need the kennel cough one any more.The next year she got kennel cough and died.When i get my next dog i will have her fully vaccinated. It really is a personal choice though to discuss with your vet about the risks of disease and make your own informed decision.

Can someone tell me if a Coolie is the same as or related to the Smooth coated collie?

Can't help myself and i know you want minimal grooming,but i 'd like to mention Airedales;they do dog sports.They are one of my favorite breeds. edit spelling.

Curly coated retriever and Weimaraner

I had a G S Pointer when i was a teenager.She was very affectionate ,loved everyone and was a real sook at times.She was moderately active and happy to relax indoors. My daughters friends have a Doberman .He is always looking to play or go for a walk.He gets walked twice a day and played with in the yard he is quiet indoors but always eager to get out and play a game or go for a run. I think a Curly coated retriever may suit you.While they can seem aloof with strangers until they get to know them;they are very affectionate to their owners and like to be with them. they can be very active when needed but are quite relaxed indoors.Their coat is easy care,wash and go . Others to look at would be Boxer and Rottweiler.A lot depends on what activities you want to do with your dog. OOps ........Forgot to mention......WEIMARANERS....Great dogs.

So the cat said ;I'm top dog around here and don't you forget it.

But this one feels just right,;said Goldilocks.

Gorgeous crazycrestie,See sighthounds do fit into small spaces

Just saw a dog on a rescue site that looks very similar.He is listed as Terrier x Australian Cattledog.So maybe that will cover it.Or call him a Mixed Blend ;i have seen that used elsewhere too.Still cute whatever he is. For spelling..

My daughter sent me this.Now i want a wolfhound.

I would also like to clarify,that Save a dog inc,that i mentioned in a previous post,is a registered animal shelter that combines this with foster care of the animals in the community.All animals are temp tested prior to adoption.I suggested them as an option;and was not meaning to 'guilt trip'' anyone about rescue dogs.

any more pictures from different angles? He is cute......Seriously Crosses i have seen in the pet shops of late.ACD x Jack russell and jack russell x Pomeranian so maybe he is a mix of these.

I will hazard a guess.ACD x Pomeranian x licorice allsort....Is there a prize if we get it right?LoL

Thankyou Kirty.Now i have taken time to reflect on all the information i have a much clearer picture.Thanks again. We got our dog from Animal aid- VAAT - when they where in Kilsyth; i thought they were a pound??so she came from a shelter then.?

Let me tell you, there's no way in God's green earth I'd ever recommend a novice dog owner with young children take ANY adult dog direct from a pound into their home. Puppies would be fine but there are too many risk factors with adults, even with a temperament assessment. Sorry everyone;I did not mean to cause any discord here.I am fairly new to all this and can only offer advise from my own experiences.I may view things from a different angle but can take on board advise from others with more knowledge in these matters than me;like poodlefan and greytmate;as i am learning all the time thats why i am here.Sunday will be the 4 year anniversary of the death of my "pound' dog.I have been looking at her photo album and have been upset and am a bit touchy about the pound /shelter thing.

Not all pounds assess dogs prior to adoption. No pound I'm aware of uses real children in its temperament assessments. No family I'm aware of would willingly trial a dog if a bite to a child might be the outcome. Novice dog owners should always source their dogs from knowledgeable sources where the temperament of the dog is a known quantity. That reduces potential sources to two: responsible breeders and rescues. You don't take chances with the safety of children where safer alternatives are available. Taking a dog from rescue means another dog makes it out of the pound to their care. That's not robbing a pound dog of a chance for a home. Not exactly sure how rescue works in other states,but from what i read on the rescue threads it seems that rescue groups take dogs from the pounds to rehome them.Here in Victoria i think once a dog goes to the pound;at least the ones i know;they are there untill they find a home.I have not heard of dogs taken out of the pounds to rescue groups down here.So they need to be adopted from the pound.

Yes Greytmate;I understand what you are saying,It is difficult to find the right match with any dog.Any extra advise about the dog is helpful.Sometimes dogs behave differently in the pound than they would in a home situation.We are lucky here in Victoria to have some excellent shelters pounds and rescue groups that go to great lengths to match their dogs to the right homes.

Most pounds do asssessments on their dogs the same as rescue groups.They will also let you trial the dog at home the same as rescue groups.Dogs from the pounds and shelters deserve the same chance to find a home as any dog from anywhere else.

We got our last dog from the pound when she was 10 months old.We had 4 kids at the time,the youngest was 3 years old.She was a wonderful dog and settled in to be a loved part of our family for 10 years.With rescue dogs you need to take time to find one thats right for you.There are some that are older but some may suit first time owners so they can gain experience with a dog then get a puppy later or when they want their next dog.Their is a Cavalier K.C on 'save a dog scheme inc.'named Holly,who needs a home.They are located in Glen Iris.....

If you were not working full time i would say yes to a pup.Puppies are a lot of work like babies.Consider a rescue dog,the pounds shelters and rescue groups are chock full of little dogs that are past the young puppy stage and have some training and will settle in very quickly.There are even cavaliers at times if thats the breed you are after.Ask for advise on what breeds suit your situation.