Nannas

I think I replied to this last night on a different thread... Adding in,,,that I got both my pit and GSDx a few days apart. Both were rescues (saves) and both are fine. It does take a bit more time and setup but I have often had 2 pups (from same litters) at the same time. It is really up to the person and how much time and experience they have with/for dogs. My dogs are well adjusted, well trained and have bonded closely BUT have never bonded MORE to each other as in comments here. It is funny how in some threads everyone keeps ranting about ""Dogs are pack animals, don't forget that"" and ""dogs need to see you as alpha"" and yet in this thread it is ""dogs will bond too much and not pay attention to you"" Crap!! If you know what you are doing and you are the "alpha" there is no difference. I guess as some have said if you wanted them for agility etc you would need extra time to cage one/train one,,then reverse, but if you just want them as family pets all they need to do is basic stuff. Another thing I think is missing a mention is their personality. I have never had 2 pups with the same personality (together) Even 2 pups from same litter can have and will have different likes, needs and wants, and will learn at different rates with different enthusiasm. They don't grow the same and one usually ends up more confident/dominant and the other follows. Teach the more dominant/confident one and the other tends to copy/follow. Then spend time alone and re-enforce their training as they get older..

I have taken pups from same litters and never really had any problems, but not Labs. I was prepared for it though and had alot of experience rescuing and saving dumped dogs. Most were rehomed within months but the last 2 RottyX girls I kept for years. The first 2 girls GSDx I called Bo and Jangles. The last 2 Rottyx's I called Bo and Diddley.. I named all of them along those lines..apart from a girl Counternilly and boy MeatSafe.. I know it isn't recommended but I was in a position where I just didn't have any choice..

I don't go to the dog park, but it may as well be with all the dogs offleash. I walk along a river track and was watching a guy throwing a stick into the water for his dog to swim out and retrieve. They seemed to be having a heap of fun until another guys dog raced in from the side, grabbed the stick and took it back to HIS owner. Both men got in a big argument about the stick,,,which just amused me to bits,,,,as there was like 'hundreds' of them laying around..!! (men,,,LOL) The other arvo there was a SWF having a ball,,,running in a circle then stopping so fast,,it's back legs would lift in the air (like it was doing a handstand) then it would race back to its' owner and get a treat,,,,run off in a circle and do it again and again..it seemed tireless and was like the energizer bunny!! Little thing actually had a small crowd watching and cheering it on..LOL Seen an idiot woman pushing a pram with a fairly large dog walking offleash beside her (no collar, no lead, nothing). Dog spotted some other dogs and raced off across the grass. Lady couldn't push the pram fast enough to chase the dog across the grass so ran off and left the pram (with baby still in it) She went way out of sight and just left baby in the pram on the path, just on dark, in an area that's not very safe. We waited with the pram, for her to come back and she abused the crap out of us..?? My silliest moment!! LOL I was running with my 2 girls. One on each side of me. They always stand right up and highstep so proud when running and I guess I was showing off a bit,,,until they decided to cross right in front of me!!!! Wasn't bad enough I went A over T in front of everyone but both dogs just piled on me. It was like a free-for-all with me stuck beneath both dogs,,trying not to let go of leads which were tangled and not allowing me arms reach to push them off. By the time I got up I had sticks and leaves stuck in my hair, covered in dirt and grass and was spitting like crazy after all the slobbering tongue kisses...

Hi bertandsally, I had issues with an elderly lady and her fat old silky terrier a few years ago. Lady would stroll along reading a magazine while little dog did what it wanted offleash. It tried attacking my GSDx, who I was dragging backwards as this dog kept approaching. Lady just kept screaming ""get your dog away from my dog"" which was hard as her dog was chasing us. I hit the dog with a stick and it took off. Lady abuses me and starts ringing the police on her mobile. I took out my mobile and started taking photo's of her dog,,,,offleash as it ran back in to "go" my dog again. Lady was actually talking to the police when I said to her ""just tell them your dog is offleash in and onleash area and I have photo's of it attacking my dog"" She hung up quick fast, then began apologising and asking me NOT to inform the police or rangers. She even began crying!! While she thought she could do the "poor old lady"" bit to police,,, she was abrupt, abusive and threatening me. When she realised she was "caught out" she was a different person... I have even done this when an elderly man with a cattle dog was letting his dog rush in and out at us. I kept asking the man to call his dog back and he was laughing. I told him I would kick it/hit it and he said "try it",,,,,then I took out my phone and started taking pics and told him I was getting pics of his dog offleash attacking us and I would have his dog PTS. He grabbed his dog instantly and ran off. IF you can have your mobile phone handy for a few pics it certainly stops alot of the BS people like that go on with. Then you have an ID of the dog/person and you have PROOF their dog was offleash and not under control. (even if you don't get any good pics, it is usually enough to scare them into thinking you have,,,then their attitude changes)

Hi, As bad as it may sound,,I know that she would have 'kicked the crap' out of the other dog if she wasn't muzzled. I honestly think if the dog approached and my dog faced it--like the big showdown--that the other dog would have backed down. My girl isn't massive but she is a fair sized dog, she is confident and alpha. This other dog run in from 'behind' her. Snuck in like a gutless whimp. Was running in and biting, but cowering out if she went it back UNTIL it realised she couldn't do anything,,,,then it just went crazy. Apart from that I just think I would have preferred her to have the chance to defend herself,,,,rather than being chewed on like a rag doll. While she doesn't have a muzzle on I have had plenty of dogs size her up,,but they usually go away. With the muzzle on is a completely different story.

To me, the idea of muzzling DA dogs depends on the owner and dog. I know people here (like the lady I mentioned) that have DA dogs with no command or control. THAT dog needs to be muzzled!! Once it spots another dog it ignores her completely and goes beserk. She battles to keep a hold of him and has lost any control. IF that dog gets away from her I can see serious trouble. It dragged her within 10 feet of us, she was panicking and screaming at it, rolling the leash up in her hands and ended up strangling it (with the choker) before she could drag it away. This dog does not need you to get close to it or anything. It starts as soon as it spots another dog. YET the lady still walks it offleash in onleash areas!!??!! My GSDx has issues but I don't muzzle her anymore. She doesn't go off at other dogs, it is only if they get too close/rush me. I carry a muzzle for her incase we come across 'unpredictables'..but after she was attacked and ripped up while wearing her muzzle (and unable to defend herself) I refuse to put her in danger again. Nothing worse than watching your dog with a muzzle on get attacked by on offleash dog and not being able to do anything except keep kicking it, waiting for it to stop.

Being a responsible dog owner doesn't just include your responsibilites to the dog. People seem to think as long as they feed, shelter and train that is all that is needed but it isn't. Being responsible means you are responsible for your dogs reactions/interactions with animals/people in society. Letting your friendly dog annoy and harrass other people/animals (who don't want to interact with your dog) is NOT being responsible. I hate it when people say "but my dog is freindly" etc. ....Who cares?? My pit is freindly but would I be a responsible owner if I let her run up to anyone/everyone and annoy them?? NO!! Everyone would be going on and on about how irresponsible and stupid I was. I think taking precautions (re:dog behaviour) is also part of being responsible. If you have a dog showing aggression,,labelling it as fear/anxiety aggression and not taking precautions is NOT being responsible. It's not just about your responsibilities to the dog but also your responsibilities to society.

In your first post, the one I was replying to,,,you DID NOT say this...Your post was...""If a dog went up to sniff her and got too close"" I think you find LAW has a rule about invading someones personal space. IF you approach someone (no matter in what manner YOU think you are approaching) and they WARN you to stay away from them and you KEEP approaching,,,they have full right to keep you away from them. They do NOT have to wait until you are in their face or attacking them...they have a LEGAL RIGHT the their own personal space.. IF you are going to ring Council and ask stuff then reply here as you did,, then ATLEAST explain it to them the same as you did in your post.. Not ""Oh well if I am walking by minding our own business and she hits my dog"" But rather as you did in your first post talking about ""a dog going up to sniff at her and getting to close!!!!" while she is obviously warning to get the dog away"" You will find it is a police/court matter and if something happens and you ADMIT that you passed this lady regularly and she appeared terrified of dogs, that she keeps freaking out, that she raises a pole and runs off screaming, that her fear of dogs is extreme, that she cannot speak english and your freinds (DOL) advised you to stay away she is a nutcase (physco) and YET you still let your dog get too close and to sniff at her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You may find noone would be terribley sympathetic with you.... On the other hand she would be saying that she IS terrified of dogs (insert reson here) that she passes you often and raises her pole so you know she is scared, as she cannot speak english and yet you still let your dog get too close to her. NOW I say you as in your reply to me you said you rang Council and said "If you were walking passed" but I was referring to your first post of ""If someone lets their dog get too close to her and sniff at her"" There is a BIG differnce between walking passed someone and letting your dog get too close and go up to sniff someone who is obviously terrified and weilding a metal pole!!!! Ring the police and explain it just as you did in your first post...How terrified/extreme she is and how she cannot speak english and is weilding a metal pole,,,,then ASK is it OK to let your dog approach her, getting too close and sniffing at her..when obviously she wants the dog to get away from her!!!!

I had to have this done with my pit. Actually you would be amazed with how many people with "supposed" purebred/registered/papered dogs actually find a smidgen of something else floating around in their far background. "and I wonder what information they might also include when they take the swab such as appearance of dog" Nothing. They just swab..no guessing is done,,,unless you bring it up and ask about what they think. I am in two minds of whether I would fork out to have it done on any other dogs. One,, if it does pull up "restricted breed" lines (which were unnoticeable to the eye) then the owners could find themselves facing BSL. What if they add extra breeds to BSL later on?? You would be right in the middle with no way to back out. I would want a "legal" guarantee that all results would be "forever" confidential and that by no way/means could any Government Authority/ Court or anyone ever get hold of them. It is good for people with dogs commonly misidentified as "restricted". Could save an dogs life!! It is good for people wanting to breed. Knowing for sure if there are any little slip ups from 100years ago. Knowing any genetic problems etc. It is just like DNA testing for people. They can match dogs to parents, grandparents etc ALSO to poop and bites which is another reason it was brought in. IF there is an attack DNA from the bite can pinpoint the dog who done it (even if the victims cannot identify the dog) LOL VIC was the first to get a DNA kit in for those reasons,,,and to identify dog poop to fine the owners..(No idea why they never seemed to use it) Probably because it is too expensive...BUT if everyone paid to have their own dog done????

In regards to this darkened line..IF a dog got too close and sniffed at her and she hit it,,,it would be the dog owners fault.. The idea behind "effective control" is that a dog does NOT enter another persons personal space...not matter what reason. People may know their dogs are freindly and safe BUT passersby don't know that, and people who are scared of dogs do NOT have to put up with dogs in their personal space no matter how "weird" others think they are. I agree that just walking passed her and her raising the pole is a bit extreme, especially if you are moving out the way to give her space but gawd knows what her problem is. Maybe she has a mental illness, maybe she has been bitten before, maybe she is fed up with other people letting their dogs harrass her on her walks. (we all KNOW that happens as there are long threads of complaints about it) When I walk I don't allow other peoples strange dogs within a stick length of me. I can speak english to tell them I will kick/hit their dog if it gets too close. This lady you say cannot speak english so maybe the pole raising is her warning. I don't care how safe/freindly people tell me their dog is. If I do not know the dog and it gets too close I will warn the owners. I am a dog lover and have dogs but I'll be stuffed if I am going to have every strangers dog coming up to me on the street. I don't allow my dogs to do it to others and don't expect to put up with other peoples dogs doing it to me. There is really no reason for a dog to go up to sniff strangers walking by. I'd stay away from her or cross the road or something. I doubt the council or police could do anything as many people carry sticks etc to keep dogs away. They might be able to have someone talk to her but I don't know what they would be able to tell her.

Maybe not with all people but with a far chunk of them it is downright callousness. In every town I have lived there has been many many people just having litters upon litters as it is cheaper just to dunk puppies/kittens in buckets of water at birth than to desex. (or dump them at 6-8 weeks after mummies boobies have dried) I know heaps of people who just drop one dog/cat at the pound so they can get a new dog/cat. BYB's would have nothing on the thousands of people who own dogs but don't desex and then just dump unwanted puppies. That is being callous. Knowing each season your bitch will have pups and you can just dump/drown them.

Hi, Was there anyone else who might have seen?? Or could you go back and ask the other people you passed if they have had trouble with the lady?? To be carrying a plank of wood she obviously has had problems before,,,,maybe the other people who walk there have had problems with her. Hopefully the police and Council do something, but it's not very often they do/can. If it is only your word against hers,,,and you can bet she will tell them a different story,,,apart from talking to you both and getting statements (if it even goes that far) there really isn't anything they can do. If you could talk to the other walkers and see if they have had problems with her,,,then you would atleast have a bit more pull on your side. I bet if the council/police approach her she will be a sweet little old lady just like grandma,,,who tells a story about your vicious dog. If you could find any of the other walkers that have had even the slightest problem with her,,that would be willing to talk to council/police (even just about her having dogs offleash) it could certainly help.

No Excuse. People with aggressive dogs have a responsibility to MAKE SURE their dogs do not escape and harrass/threaten other people/dogs. Problem is most of those people are irresponsible and that is why no amount of talking to them ever helps. They know their dog is aggressive and they just cannot be bothered taking any steps to protect anyone or anything because it is usually NOT their dog that gets hurt or scared in an attack.

I kow people (now) who do the same type of thing. They get a pup and within a few months to a year drop it at the pound and get another one. One abt 5 months old got sick and they just ignored it until it dropped dead. It is fairly common here for people to dump dogs on relatively quiet roads. A work mate was picking up JRT puppies tied in chaff bags and thrown onto the road side for about 4 months. One puppy per bag and all up about 5 bags, all on different days. He is an elderly man who LOVES his JRT's so took care of them and rehomed them. I was also told about people who dumped a pregnant girl as they didn't want to deal with the puppies and were too embarrassed to take her to the pound/shelter,,as they had seen another dog (at the pound/shelter) that they wanted and knew they wouldn't be allowed to get it if they were caught dumping their pregnant dog. Too many people like that out there I'm afraid.

LOL sometimes you just have to shrugg and walk on.... The weirdest I had was a lady who was telling me about my Great Dane!! (I have a 6yo drk brown/ black pitbull female) The lady looked behind my girl,,,then said "Yup, you had HIM castrated too young and that's what stunted HIS growth" I have never ever had anyone think she was a male great dane before!!!! Some say "nice head on that staffy" or "he's not pure staffy he's too big" (everyone thinks my girls are males for some reason) One little girl about 5yo asked me if my dog knew Scooby Doo (LMAO) She said they looked like sisters!!!! Of course everyone thinks our AmStaff is pitbull, and when we say she isn't, we get told "it's OK, we won't tell anyone" and yet they do not recognise our pit as a pitbull???!!!!???? Funny world out there...Sometimes it makes you wonder how they all survive on their own...

LOL at her age it would be easy to get her to drink from a 'pop top' type bottle. All my dogs can drink from a pop top type bottle and I can fill them up at any park or servo etc. The water doesn't pour out in a gush like a normal bottle but rather a smaller slower stream, which is easy to 'adjust' depending on how much air is in the bottle or how hard you squeeze it.

I think you can. Our AmStaff got out the front door a few times when she was smaller. I began a 'door training' and now (2yo) she will not go from the (lino) tiles onto the wood piece (between the door and the screen door) Even if the door isn't closed properly she will walk until her feet touch the wood, then she steps back so her feet are off the wood. I have kids and their mates coming and going all day so both inside dogs needed to learn they were NOT allowed out the door, even if it wasn't closed properly. My pit will not go passed the wood at all either. (but she is 6yo and has the rules down pat) Good Luck with it all. It sure is a relief once you know they won't race out the door..

I'd be around the $100 a week but I have 3 dogs. The all have a mix of meaty bone offcuts (smaller bones and more meat) and chicken neck/wings/frames (depends on whats on special) each day and raw of a night. (mainly mince mix with some rice, vegie, egg, etc) A couple of times a week they get huge bones, cut in half. (when one is dead we chuck it out and give them another) They usually have dry biscuits laying about as a snack but rarely eat them. (really a waste of money) The pit needs supplements but I cannot be bothered adding it up then dividing..LOL

Hiya, Chances are the guy is mates with the Ranger. We had similar problems a few years ago.

Ok, This might sound weird but here goes. When we were outback I used to have a problem with snakes (not too bad but a couple over the hot season.) Anyway, when I was visiting freinds they never ever had a problem..(this was at a mission) I asked my freinds grandma (aboriginal elder) one afternoon as she was spraying something around the fenceline. She said it was deisel. That it not only killed the grass but the snakes hated it and would not cross it if they didn't have to. Apparently because it is oily and stays on the ground/grass, it sticks to their skin (gets under scales) and can sting like a biatch. She says she does it each 2 weeks or so depending on the look of the ground. She does a strip about a foot wide. (6inch each side of fence) I began doing this everywhere we lived and never had another snake in the yard again (although our neighbours did) I don't know if it was coincidence or old folk tale type thing but I believed it enough to continue.. After moving back to the city I never even thought about looking it up..

Bit OT here but same point. When I was thinking of getting my Taxi drivers licence in NSW I began studying for all the tests. (I needed a 2nd job and thought it would fit my hours) LOW and BEHOLD if there was NO tests, training, nothing!!! The owner of the Taxi gave me the form to fill in to apply and all I had to do was send a passport photo (to go on the licence) He drove me around for about 2 weeks showing me the computer and streets, then my licence arrived and off I went driving people around. I had always thought there would be a driving test, knowledge test and a whole heap of unexpected tests..NOPE! Same as working road construction and traffic control. As long as you have the OH&S card you can work any construction and if you get the blue Traffic Controllers card you can direct traffic. No training provided to actually get them, just a test which you are allowed to talk in a group to get the answers. AND the guy explains the questions and answers during the day course. If you don't need any training to drive people around in heavy traffic or to stand on a highway and direct traffic,,,why would they make you get training to work in a shop???

Noooo. Most shops don't train the workers to know all about the products/business. Gosh, I was asking a girl in a fruit/vegie shop for Fuji apples and she had no idea what I wanted. I guess some workers catch on and learn bits as they go but I don't know many where you can actually ask at the counter for advice. So many times you ask for a product and the people walk down and start reading the 'instructions' etc on the package and say ""I think this might help"" Working in a shop isn't a trade. You don't need any certs or anything all you need is to turn up. You would actually be amazed at how many jobs are the same. As long as you turn up you learn as you go.

Stay locked in your house for the next 6 to 12 months with no computer, no phone and no visitors. Eat the same meal (basically) each day and do some weights. See how you feel at the end... You only have to see how excited dogs get when they realise it is walk time to know how much it means to them. All the wonderful smells and noises, people and animals. So much to see, hear, smell. It's like they have a little holiday each day.

Hi Nekhbet, Thanks for that.. (sorry for taking so long I forgot about checking for replies) The nylon one had gotten too small thanks to the AmStaff pup opening the drawer and running around chewing the leads and muzzles. I kept taping it up waiting for the petshop here to get in different ones. They got them in but are a thick rubber type in the most glittery disgusting colours...I was going to buy one anyway but she isn't allowed to wear them (with them only being a thick rubber type) Will check out the site and measure her fat head,,,LOL... she has no neck,,,so everything is held on by her ears only!!

LOL, She is always sitting on someone somewhere. I have pics of her trying to climb on my lap while I am on the computer. I kept moving so she went behind me, over me, round me, all trying to sit on my lap. She is getting way too big to share a chair with...