Whippetsmum

OK so there was a roaming dog, even though friendly the ranger is still doing their job. Do the owners know that their dog has been picked up? If they've just moved, they may not have updated the chip details and may not have been in touch with council. I'd let them know so they can pick up their dog rather than it spend time in the pound.

It's always my girl, she's even got onto the bench, took the lid off the Slow Cooker and dropped the lid on the bench. If I hadn't heard it crashing, she'd have scalded herself with Bolognaise sauce. She's also good at grabbing what she can when the fridge door is opened.

I have one of these, I got it when my sewing machine died and I couldn't make a new coat for my boy- not quite Whippet coat, but it has a drawstring waist which fits better than most non whippet coats, and the pieces are adjustable with velcro. Has a chest/tummy warmer. Made by Pampet, google Pampet Anorak

If you can sew, there are some patterns commercially, I think it was Simplicity (Spotlight has them). Then you can get whatever fabric suits you.

http://www.bwdogcoats.com/sizes.html This site is from the US, but I noticed they were really specific about where to place the belly band for boys vs girls. They also don't ask for a rear measurement though. They are also very specific about how to take measurements and have their own video posted of measuring a dog, I found it helpful to identify why my coats sometimes fit my dogs better.(I make my own coats) Most sites I've seen also ask that if you are measuring a Lurcher as opposed to Whippet or Greyhound that you let them know, so they must alter the pattern for different breeds and builds. Whippetwear seem to be Whippet specific, whereas the UK and UK sites often mention othere Sighthound breeds and adapt for build. If you need to get your coat altered, place it on the dog and use tailor's chalk to mark what changes you need. If you take a photo or video to explain what you need changed it also might help.

Dumb questionare- What no one feeds raw? Oh that's right, proably sucking up to the dog food companies. I think this moronic questionaire is the same one that someone had at the Sydney Pet Expo.

If the owners were sucessfully prosecuted by council, would she be eligible for Victims of Crime Compensation?

Kavic, I can't say avoid training, as I don't know enough about Kennel Cough- best to phone your vet for advice. My boy was there on the 17th, so that's 14 days ago, but we don't know exactly when or where he picked it up- just a suspicion that it was teh Showgrounds, as it's really the only place we've been to teh past few weeks, been slack with walkies etc. If you do go, don't let the dogs drink from any water collected there in buckets etc. I'm keeping away tonight because we are infectious at the moment, so don't want anyone to be infected by us. There may be other dogs who have it but owners may not have noticed the early signs. I emailed the club, so I hope they'll send out an announcement to keep an eye on the dogs.

Hi everyone, This is just a bit of a Public Service Announcement regarding Kennel Cough: I'm just back from the vet with my boy who has Kennel Cough. He is vaccinated, but not all types are covered in the vacc. We can't be 100% sure where he got it, but think he may have picked it up at Castle Hill Showground the week before last (incubation is around 10 days), so if you've been to the Showground, just be aware- his started with runny nose and sneezing a few days before the coughing. Luckily, we've been slack stay at homes the past few weeks, apart from that trip to classes at the Showground, so it does narrow down where we probably picked up the bug, although we can never be 100% certain.

Hi again Has anyone got basic dog coat patterns (sewn) with measurements? I have some spare fleece and thought of sewing resuce coats for small and medium dogs. My Whippet measurements would be wrong for most breeds, and the coats patterns I found online tell you to measure your dog....bit hard when they are going to unknown dogs. Thanks

Such sad news. Very sorry for your loss Lisey.

I hope this settles down for you Monet is 6 years, so could she be suffering some pain from the cold weather? any weakness can trigger unusual behaviour. Whippet girls can be nasty to each other, but a lot of breeders seem to manage multiple girls. Have you called your breeder for advice or a Whippet mentor? I'd also post in the Whippet section. There's be a lot of people with Whippet specific experience and probably some advice to tide you over until you get a behavioural person in. I'd think (probably naiveley) the dominance issues between the girls would be less if the humans increase their control and dominance- in any case, it won't hurt as a starter to enforce basic obedience and rules, no one on the lounge until invited- or maybe as the lounge is an issue no one on the lounge- both on a mat, all dogs sit before anyone is allowed through the door, all have to sit while meals are prepared etc, don't feed them until you've eaten etc (very hard in some situations) How are they with food and other resources? If the aggro is happening when people are around is it a resource issue with you being the resource?

May the fleas of 1000 "Oodles" infest his arm pits (and beard.

Thanks heaps, I'm trying to sneak a look at the sites but someone keeps stopping by to check what I'm doing on DOL......I think he suspects something!

This is the advice I was given in a similar situation, and it's improved thinbgs a lot. The dog left behind is always a bit upset but nothing like we used to experience: Walk one dog outside your house, back and forth, 25-50m each way. When the other gets upset, settle them verbally, and keep "walking" the other. If you need to intervene more to settle the other dog, you are close by and can do so without wondering if they are tearing the door down. Combine this with a distraction like a treat block, but you'll probably find the one left behind is too upset to be placated with food. The walking out front of the house is really boring for you, but you can work on basic commands with the dog you have out, sit, wait, walking completley at heel, changing pace etc, even play a ball game. Stretch the distance outside your front door gradually. It's then easy to change between the dogs if you need to, e.g. 5 minutes on and off for each dog. Your own exercise will take a back seat for a while, while you are working on the dogs behaviour. Also work on having the dogs a bit seperate when you are home, e.g. one inside and one outside. Gradually increase the time they spend apart.

I'm trying to find a good website to buy a Whippet themed coffee mug for a present. Has anyone got a favourite dog themed webseller they can recommend please? Thanks

Department of Fair Trading is very clear. If there is a major fault on a product, you are entitled to a refund or replacement at the purchasers discretion. A minor fault can be repaired at the discretion of the seller or manufacturer. No amount of fine print is able to undermine a consumers basic rights. The question is, are breeders held accountable like other "manufacturers" or "retailers"? BTW, Can you can fix a heart murmer?

Dogs need to be restrained for all the reasons already mentioned. Get a crate if you can, there are some soft ones at Reject shop if you are cash strapped, and some small wire ones too,if not, borrow one. Our pup came home in a large cat carrier which was fine for the purpose and fitted her back then. I hope you don't need this advice...we picked up our pup very prepared using this method, ours was and is a big chucker: If your pup is a chucker (and you won't know), having a few towels in layers on the crate/carrier floor can be useful, If the pup vomits, take top towel off, vomits again, next towel comes off etc. Handtowels are good depending on the crate size, and if you use several, they'll fit in the washing machine easily. Take a big plastic bag so you can stuff any dirty towels in, put the bag in the car boot- puppy vomit in a car can make people vomit. Lastly, take baby wipes to clean up your hands and a damp face wsher to wipe any mess off puppy. We needed 4 or 5 towels Take poo bags just in case!

I am no 60 lb. weakling ,and am able to change car tyres, however I can not change a 4WD tyre - they are too heavy for me to maneuvre, and the wheel nuts are on waay too tight, usually , so I can understand folks not being able to do it ....however, that is why I have my RAA membership :) I suppose it does depend on the size of the 4WD though. The RAA/NRMA/RACQ it's great to have these memberships, e.g. when we have met a situation that we can't manage, like when the wheel nuts have been jammed on with the hydraulic drills- but it's not always the case though, and I'd not assume I couldn't change a tyre without first trying. If it's a 2 peron job, maybe vistors could help, or they could give them a lift to the vet? My Nuclear reactor analogy was meant to suggest that we can try things like changing a tyre, and the manuals do have instructions. Waiting a few days with a sick dog is not a great idea though, as things can deteriorate, with dehydration etc, but hopefully doggie will be OK, fingers crossed. Edited for clarity

Angelnkids Hopefully, it's nothing serious for her, but you won't know until you get to a vet. You have options including asking your visitors to drive you or to help with the tyre- get proactive, and no I don't mean the pimple cream. It's a 4Wd, not a Nuclear reactor....there's usually a manual with instructions on how to change the tyre....what do you mean no one to help you? There are visitors at least for moral support. Remember .....you are not helpless unless you choose to be, and your dog is counting on you.

Hi Tails! I was on my own fora few minutes!

Supervision is always in the eye of the beholder. Some parents think if their child is within sight they're supervised.

Good luck Rebecca and Rocksteady, I hope you get some sense out of the Ranger so you can defend this, it's so wrong that you might have to get a Lawyer for this. Would anyone know if character references are of any use in something like this? I was thinking it only takes one person to make a complaint, so could the situation be balanced by stat decs from neighbours that this dog has not been a problem? If neighbours could say they've never seen him out of his yard without a lead would that help at all?

I know the feeling. I found a naughty Whippet on the kitchen bench a few weeks ago. She had taken the lid off a slow cooker where there was a batch of Spaghetti sauce bubbling away. I got to her just before she would have gotten very burnt, We're having lasagne with the last of the sauce tonight- she's looking very disappointed at the moment.

Look up Greyhound resuce in the States, they're bound to have a local link and possibly the sale would support a worthy cause. GAP Australia has coats for $40 http://www.gapnsw.org.au/content/view/13/31/ Otherwise, I've posted a pattern on Pet craft Links and updated the link last night if you or your brother knows anyone with a sewing machine.