Simply Grand

Well done making the tough decision :) I think you've been really responsible in taking the issue seriously and seeking advice. Good on the breeder for taking the pup back too. Looking forward to hearing about the fun you have with your new pup!

Maltese, clipped every 6 weeks. From a good breeder who looks at temperament - they should be an agreeable little dog, not a yappy brat. Definitely a Whippet or Italian Greyhound. Or a Greyhound if you can do bigger.

How are you ever going to resist those gorgeous puppy dog eyes??

Doberman crossed my mind. I don't know a whole lot about them but from what I do know I think they would be suitable. The only thing I'd warn about is to meet the dogs of breeders and find temperaments you like as I have met a couple of timid/nervy ones. I've also met some lovely chilled out confident ones though.

Oh that's sad

Love the leaping for the soccer ball one :D

I highly doubt they would have booked you trying to save your horse during those fires Kirislin! From what I saw it was a case of do what you've gotta do to get people and animals out. I also doubt there were a whole lot of bad drivers hooning around there that night, just other people trying to get to safety. I'm glad you got her out ok :)

I just used potting mix Caz. I only changed it after about 6 months, it seemed to dry out enough not to be too stinky. The fake grass definitely got more more smelly. Mine was undercover but it would get a bit soggy if rain blew in in stormy weather, I'd just move it to the sun to dry out again. I did try a cheap version of those doggy toilets at one stage, the dogs took to it straight away and it worked ok. Same thing with it needing to be washed and dried in the sun, probably daily I'd say, to not be smelly. I just found it wasn't big enough for the three dogs, and the boys weren't so great at hitting it every time when they lifted their legs.

In my last place I only had a small concrete courtyard area outside. I used a kids clamshell pool with soil in it and fake grass over the top for the dogs to toilet on. It worked well, I had the three dogs using it (one med, two small) and would just pick up poos as soon as I saw them and wash the fake grass and leave it to dry in the sun every couple of days. The fake grass was pretty cheap (just the cheapest one from Bunnings and you only need 1/2 metre) so you could easily replace it regularly if you found it got stinky.

Awww, happy birthday gorgeous girl!!

I don't have insurance at the moment, nor could I afford a surgery bill right now. Seriously dogs, don't you even dare! So I can't answer your question but DO NOT feel like a bad dog mum, you have a whole lot of things to weigh up at the moment and dogs are super resilient. Seriously, you're still taking care of him, Ernie won't mind waiting and with any luck won't need surgery anyway.

The article says he as selling puppies for $800 each and that he was "living on benefits". He was also banned from running a domestic animal business for 5 years, suggesting they considered his breeding a business. That being the case I wonder if he declared all of the income from selling the puppies to Human Services and the ATO? I hope they investigate that, he'd likely get a much bigger penalty for fraud if he's found to have been claiming benefits and avoiding tax by not declaring income. 15 years, multiple breeding dogs, $800 per puppy, obviously not much expenditure on his "stock" to offset the income could equal a whole lot of undeclared income.

But then why is the Nobivac 6-8 and 10-12 weeks without a third dose a legitimate protocol? Are puppies that get that getting the same thing as puppies who get the 8, 12 and 16 week course, just not been given the last one?

I'm sure they would have done C5 if you'd asked (and paid) for it but it isn't that it's C5 vs C3 that makes it only 2 vs 3 vaccinations. C5 just covers a couple of additional illnesses. I actually don't know what the difference between the 2 and 3 vacs protocols is (is it different ingredients in the different products?), can anyone explain it?

There are different vaccination protocols, one comprises the first at around 6 weeks and the booster 4 weeks later, there is also one that requires three shots, at approx 8, 12 and 16 weeks. You should speak to your breeder and your vet about which protocol they are using, and generally your puppy isn't considered fully covered until 1-2 weeks after the final booster in either protocol. All three of my dogs had Nobivac C3 at 6 weeks and C5 at 10 weeks and did not require another booster until 12 months. This was also the protocol used for puppies at the shelter I worked at. I generally kept mine at home until 11 weeks-ish for training, play etc but did take them out and carried them around to low risk places before then - letting them see, hear and smell things but not really walk around, particularly on grass and/or busy dog areas. I also took all three to puppy schools run at vet clinics from 8-9 weeks old, which I found great for socialisation, although I was both lucky to find a great one for my first two, and confident in not letting mine be involved in "free for all" type behaviour (plenty of info on here if you are not sure what that means, just ask if you are concerned :) ) Re. friend's places, I didn't really have any suitable "doggy" friends but if I did I would take a puppy to a friend's house to meet their dog inside but I would check that their dog's vacs (or titre testing) were up to date and their dog had not shown any signs of illness in recent weeks. :)

I literally just went "ooooohhhh!!" out loud at Leo, loud enough to interrupt all three dogs from their peanut butter stuffed Kongs Beautiful work Miru :)

I have to agree with everyone. This kind of aggression at this age is extremely concerning. Regardless of pack position or anything else to escalate to a full hard bite that quickly is not normal for a baby puppy. I don't know enough about LGDs to know if it is acceptable in dogs that spend their lives in the field working but I think you are setting yourself up for serious ongoing aggression problems if you keep this pup as a companion for humans By all means get an assessment by a good behaviourist if you are not ready to return the pup, but I would be returning it to the breeder unfortunately. ETA to give you an idea of the seriousness of the behaviour, young puppies that showed that level of resource guarding (actually biting, with minimal provocation) were few and far between at the shelter I worked at but would be put to sleep without further behavioural work if they showed that behaviour as they were deemed highly unlikely to be made safe with humans

So is it not against the rules to cover something up using shoe polish or a Cris Stik? It seems to be being said in the other thread that it is, but maybe not. ETA And according to Dogs NSW Show regulations: 14.3 A dog shall be disqualified from winning a prize at a Show held under the Regulations if a Show Committee is satisfied that:- (i) any dye, colouring, whitening or darkening matter, or preparation, has been used and if the effect of it remains at any time during the Show; (ii) any oil, grease, sticky or glossy substances have been used and if the effect of it remains on the coat of the dog at any time during the Show; http://www.dogsnsw.org.au/upload/documents/Part%2002%20Show.pdf

I find it hard to understand why in this thread people are saying that it isn't ok to dismiss colour or any other rulings in the standard because it doesn't suit the generic 'you' yet in another thread asking for advice on how to get around the issue of blemishes and the rules about them in the show ring it seems to be acceptable to break those rules. Presumably there is a reason somewhere behind those rules too so why is one ok and not the other?

I'd expect Quinn to eat it, but nothing is safe with her, even closed containers *eye roll* If Molly had never opened a container before though I can see why her owner didn't expect it. I'm glad Molly is ok, she's so cuuuute :D

I agree that finding a good trainer would be a good idea. It does sound like you are going well so far but if the pup is actually showing aggression and it is not dealt with properly now you could run in to trouble as he gets older and bigger. I fostered a puppy who as a baby could get quite growly and mouthy when she wasn't getting her way, she needed much firmer and more consistent consequences than my other dogs ever did to show her that her behaviour was not ok and I expected something else of her instead. Her brother had gone straight to a new home at 8 weeks and was returned some weeks later as he had shown the same kind of behaviours but the people didn't have the experience to address it and his behaviour had escalated and he was getting close to the point of causing injury to people. It then took a lot more work with her brother to get him to where he needed to be, and even then he needed more ongoing management than my girl did as she had had the consistency right from the beginning whereas he had that period at a critical time of being mismanaged. A good trainer will be able to help you figure out whether it is just puppy playfulness and fine to keep going as you are or whether you have a bit of a tough little nut on your hands and might need to take a different approach :)

I'd just do it, and either be there for the next inspection or give the agent a heads up email before it that the pen is there, making it clear that it is a temporary structure and completely removable when you go. I can't see what state you are in on my phone but I think most/all states allow for temporary changes to the property without the landlord's permission so they can't say no. As mentioned though, if it's a strata or body Corp property they may have rules about structures that can be seen from off the property and obviously not going on common property.

Have you tried the Zantac syrup Sheridan? I find Zantac quite helpful with my reflux. Also, anyone know if there a dog version of Pariet (rabeprazole) that could be tried as a preventative? Anecdotally I find that room temp water with a little bit of apple and raspberry cordial (less than the 1:4 ratio) has helped settle my reflux when I haven't had any meds - no idea why or if it would help anyone else but I notice the difference from plain water.

Yes, Quinn grew up outside, her breeder had a great set up with an enclosed kennel area opening into an outside area that could be securely locked up, which then opened to a bigger secured courtyard style run area, which in turn opened to the back yard. She was happy, healthy and used to going out to grass to toilet when I brought her home at 8 weeks. ETA - having said that she slept in a crate in my room for the first few months and now sleeps on my bed, although she'll happily sleep in another room if I shut her out.

I know, I don't know what Aussies they based that on but I'd be willing to swap with one of them after Quinn opened the oven, took out the pizza box I had in there keeping warm and stole my last piece of prawn pizza last night.