Adnil444

I'm with you on this one. Desexing is the only way to stop the unwanted supply of dogs and cats out there. I have no problems with any of the laws wanting to be introduced. Registered breeders should be the only ones allowed to have undesexed dogs. Pounds, rescues, shelters, pet shops (which I wish they could ban from selling puppies and kittens), all should be desexed before going to their new homes. Wait until March-April 2011, when all the Christmas puppies and kittens hit the rescue pages or pounds etc. So very sad.

Really awful for you. I would report this - on the same note, they would also know you would be onto them if anything did happen to you or your dog. You can ask the ranger to advise that the complaint was made without letting on who made it - there must be others that this happens to, it could be any number of people who have made a complaint. Good luck.

We do just over an hr walk/run each weekday morning and about 45 mins in the afternoon. On the weekends, I put on my bumbag and hat, and we can go for several hours. We also go to leash free parks as well. I'm always on the look out for new walks/routes to take. The longest walk we did was 3 hrs on the weekend. We were certainly tired - medium pace all the way. I must say that since I've taken up jogging in the mornings as well (one of my dogs needs to be on lead on our morning walks so I took up jogging to increase her exercise), I've lost several kilos which is rather nice leading up to Christmas, which no doubt I will put it back on!!

Hi, I have a subaru forester and I love it - the dogs (rottiexdobe and dobexkelpie fit comfortably in the back with plenty of head room. I have a cage to stop them from coming over the back seat. The rest of the car is great for us - fits us all in well and is very comfortable and pretty good on fuel. Hope this helps.

Just goes to show that vets are just like doctors - they know how to treat an illness or fix a broken bone etc etc, however that doesn't mean they know anything about breeding, behaviour, breeds etc. They treat and fix (though I'm sure some do know lots about different breeds, behaviour etc). Don't forget they don't just treat dogs, they have to know all about all animals, fish, birds - large and small.

I had my son at the podiatrist and after he checked my sons shoes, he said, "you have dogs don't you?" We both looked at him puzzled and then he showed us the amount of dog hair under the innersole of my son's shoes!!! I now clean out his shoes regularly.

Great shots!! I think it's terrific that you can do this and allow them to race. Lovely to watch.

I like your idea, it sounds really easy to implement and would certainly assist new people that have recently moved to an area. I heard that Neighbourhood Watch may be coming back, which would be a terrific idea!!

More rangers to implement the laws we already have, and/or to place articles in local newspapers, give community talks etc? But then it comes down to council allocated money. Hard question. Will ponder a bit more. Agreed. Warringah Council recently held a Responsible Pet Owner night and had Kirsti Seksel as a speaker (well I remember it was someone I had heard of and I am pretty sure it was her). I thought that was definitely as step in the right direction. As I have said before, I think we could go a long way by just seeing basic leash, microchipping laws enforced. It shouldn't be up to responsible owners to have to cop abuse when they tell people to put their dog on a lead. Hi, yes it was Kirsti. She is very good and was one of the first dog behaviourists. That was pretty well advertised too - local newspapers, flyers at dog parks, pet shops, groomers etc.

Hi, the best beds for outside (under cover) are the original trampoline dog beds - these are steel framed with a canvas cover, but the cover does not go across the outside frame. I have one that is over 32 years old - been through 4 great danes, golden retriever, several kelpies, a rottiexdobe. It is so easy to clean (just hose down and every now and then I give it a wash with some dishwashing liquid and hose off. The canvas is very strong and it's pretty impossible to chew through as the dogs won't want to bite across the steel frame. I think the website is: www.trampolinedogbeds.com.au They are situated in Asquith NSW.

Hi Stormie, the same breeder and breeding lines. Having had both purebreds and now I have 3 dogs (1 purebred, 2 crossbreeds), in my opinion, they don't have any the issues we had with the danes. I'm sure things have changed now, but with the danes (and we all adored them and in my honest opinion) are one of the best dogs to have (they were all calm, biddable, great family dogs), but we had issues with skin irritations on three of them. One had an undershot jaw as well and did not develop like the other danes did (conformation) and he could be aggressive with other dogs, not people though. The other 3 were wonderful with all dogs, people etc.

I totally disagree with your comment! I have had pure breed dogs all my life except for the last dog, which was a Maltese/Shitzu. He passed away 2 weeks ago with cancer at age 15. He was the best, most loyal, obedient, and loving dog I have ever had. I would not hesitate to purchase another Maltese/Shitzu. Some would say there is not bad dog, just a bad owner. Dogs like people learn by example. Welcome to DOL, bradf1405. The problem with cross breeds is that you can in one puppy get traits from one breed, and other puppy will be more like the other parent, and there is no way to tell what you will get in your mix puppy. So while your last dog was excellent, your next one might be totally different. It is such a big lottery as to what traits you may end up with when people cross breed. If your last dog had excellent traits, it would be worth you researching both malt, and shih tzu, and seeing which breed has the traits that were most like what you loved about your last dog. And then buying that breed to ensure you get a dog that is how you want it to be. The other danger with cross breeding is that there is no incentive for the breeder to use really good dogs for breeding, as cross breed fluffy puppies will sell very fast regardless of any physical problems they may develop when older, and it is hard to see problems under a fluffy coat. Buying a purebreed from a good ethical breeder is really the only way you can buy a puppy and know what to expect in terms of conformation and behaviour. Cross breeds such are a lucky dip. And unfortunately, many grow up to be so different from what their owners imagined when they first met their cute ball of fluff. Unfortunately, there are bad dogs and good dogs and sometimes good owners can end up with a bad dogs if they buy one that is really badly bred. Good breeders are so important for the future of dogs. They are the ones that developed the traits and looks that we admire in our dogs. Cross breeders do not do anything to ensure that the dog they breed has the right genes to pass these traits on to future generations of dogs. They are in it for the money alone, and they put no thought into genetic health at all. I have also found buying purebreeds from registered ethical breeders is also a lottery - you may know what the dog will look like when it gets older and perhaps have some idea of what the temperament should be, but that doesn't guarantee that you will get the dog in the breed specifiation. I've had great danes (4), two from the same breeder and totally different in conformation and temperament. There is no guarantee at all with any dog.

Hi, I heard a story about this recently. They said the dog was an Akita and were concerned that this breed of dog will become the latest "fad", like dalmations become extremely popular after 101 Dalmations etc etc. The story went on to say that the Akita is not the dog for everyone, and will need a very firm hand etc. I hope the dog doesn't become a fad, as we all know what happens to these "fad" dogs after time.

I saw the today's episode as well. The man just had no idea. The dog were on the kitchen counters and table and just doing whatever they wanted to do. I didn't think one was a Belgian Shepherd - they both looked like malamute crosses to me. Glad that they got things back on track for all concerned, especially the dogs. They seemed much calmer and happier with a few boundaries set and more exercise.

I agree but on the other hand, if it was my child that had been attacked (or any child) I would want them tracked down and pts before they can attack again. The public is over dog attacks and people not containing their dogs properly. If these dogs killed someone, would you not want them tracked down?? I agree the owner should be held responsible and I hope he is fined heavily and banned from owning dogs again.

I love the ridgeback - I'm very partial to black and tan dogs (I already have 2). Gorgeous I say.

I agree with all the other posters - also after we lost two great danes to tiger snakes (in both incidents they were dead within 20 mins!) we were advised to get cats and have them outside but living around the house as they can kill snakes very quickly and also something about the snakes don't like the smell of cats (not sure if this is true or not). We got a few semi-feral cats and they lived around the house, one in the shearing shed, and just kept on feeding them close to the house. We still did see the odd snake, but certainly not as many as we had previously, and generally the ones we saw were in the paddock outside the house, but not in the house yard.

Wow, this is pretty amazing reading this. I have read many times that the best combinations in order to have is (a) male and a female together; (b) two desexed females together and lastly © two desexed males together. I always thought that two entire males together could end in tragedy.

I hope that Chase is ok and that you are too - I'm sure the vets are doing all they can for him. We are all thinking of you.

Great heartwarming story - good to see in light of the horrific cruelty and mistreatment stories happening all over the place. Such a lovely dog and what a terrific owner.

Ahhhh the fake turf - I put that down - wonderful stuff, lasted 6 months and they dug it up, over and over again!! I still think it is great if you don't have a digger or chewer. Thankfully they did this before I decided to do the whole yard, which was what I was thinking of doing.

Yes exactly - why is an attack on an animal so different from an attack on a human. Why can't they finally make the penalty harsh and stick to it. I hate reading these articles, I get too upset!

I forgot to add that Choice Magazine did a comparison of pet insurance not so long ago and Bow Wow came out on top. It is worthwhile getting a hold of that article as it really goes indepth to all the funds available and gives honest pros and cons for each one. Not one policy is perfect, they all have good and not so good points.

Hi Allie, I've been with Bow Wow for several years now and have been happy with them. I have made two claims and they were paid with no problems at all. I have the $100 excess for $8000 cover for each dog (I pay $58.65 per month for two dogs). Good luck.

Hi Jen, very pleased to hear that Rover is okay and getting better. Lots of hugs and sloppy kisses from Rocky & Rosie.