mumof3

When we were young and stupid and had pig dogs. I know, shoot me now... The finders found on scent, not sight. And often at night. The country was thick and scrubby. The finder had to be capable of holding too. The mix required speed, strength, scent trailing ability and usually had to be pretty laid back at home in the burbs too. Whatever we know now of genetics, where we were at the time, greyhound, staghound, wolfhound crosses were used for speed, mastiff and other bull breeds for strength, toughness and laidbackedness. Scent just seemed to be there or not. No one crossed a beagle or something like that in for scent, such breeds weren't really available in that area. Boxer was a common cross, but I can't remember why. Perhaps they have good noses. I know someone who had some lab in theirs. This pup looks alot like the staghound / greyhound type crosses which everyone had. They were lovely dogs. All the hunting dogs I knew were so well adjusted and cared for. Our vets used to even compliment us - our dogs were always excersied, trained, well fed and cared for. The got to hunt, which they LOVED. And they got loved at home. They make excellent pets, by and large. Of course there were people who didn't care for their dogs quite so well, and who didn't respect the prey. We didn't associate with such people. I wonder if the OP lives in an area where such dogs may be being bred? Anyway, I grew up and we don't hunt pigs anymore. Nor do I breed dogs anymore.

This is what I reckon too. Looks like a lot of pups I've seen around. And a greyhound cross can be a popular addition to pig dogs - a bit of speed, so goes the theory. Also, those legs, the sheer size, speaks a little of wolfhound too - another popular in the pigging mix. If it is bred

Let me get in first and say Welcome to the forum. Lots of folks here. Good place for some advice. Lots of knowledge. Can't help breed wise. Good luck.

I've been a very active part of a grief based message board for a couple of years (a few years ago now though). Personally, I think the brief I'm sorry for your loss etc as per PF's post is about the right way to go. Everyone needs different things when they are grieving. No one's grief process should be up for judgement. There is no right or wrong way to feel, or to process grief, and no right or wrong comforters. If you are close to a person you may know them well enough to give more than that, but for people you don't know, I'd keep it brief, unless you have a parrallel experience. If you have had a loss with some similarlities (needn't be the same species, we are talking about the emotional similarities), it can be helpful to share stories. Be careful though, not to cause offence by making a comparison that may hurt the grieving person. Some example of well meaning comments that really don't help are: Sorry to hear you lost the baby - at least you can try again. Sorry to hear your dog died - but he was old and everything dies. Sorry to hear your Dad died - at least he won't be nagging you about finding a husband. All these statements seem to suggest that the grieving person should not be feeling the way they are feeling. They have every right, and infact a physiological need to feel what they are feeling. Some better statements: Sorry to hear you lost the baby - that should never happen to anyone. Sorry to hear your dog died - he was a great dog. Sorry to hear your Dad died. (there is nothing wrong with leaving it at that). Lastly, I wonder if the poster that the OP was talking about is someone who has been on this board over the last few days? There was someone here who was having a very difficult time with grief over losing a dog. People who are grieving need to feel loved and supported, not challenged. They can also be very sensitive, so do be very sensitive yourself about how you phrase things and what you say.

Thanks all for the understanding. My little girl is back home already. She seems quite sorry for herself. I've left her in her travel crate in the shed in the back of the ute - she doesn't even get to her feet, just lazy opens her eyes and wags the very tip of her tail. Normally she would be wagging her entire body. I might leave her there for now, and take her out when she is more alert. She needs to be kept well clear of the kids for a few days - last thing she needs is my 18mth old jumping on her belly. I'm going to invest in some good bones and stuff and freeze a kong for entertainment. Poor little thing. But it feels a weight has lifted. Like, I've sort of crossed the idea of breeding off my list for a few more years. One less thing to think about. And she can just be our loved pet - which was always her primary purpose. Any post operative care instructions are welcome. Our vet is a capable but no nonsense bush vet. And my husband took her over there (110km to the vet), so I don't have the instructions first hand. Just keep her locked up for a couple of days. No antibiotics? No overnight stay. I do have some sedative for when we travel with her in a few weeks - though I'm not sure why she needs sedating. We don't sedate the kids (sometimes I wish we could).

I've been told that the injection is not suitable for continuous use. And my vet hasn't offered me any other options. Too late now. Speying her is sad, but I do think it is the right thing for my family. Perhaps breeding dogs will be something I do in the future when my kids are all older. Molly is a pet. The much loved, forever family pet. She has the home that many breeders hope that all their puppies will find. And I guess she will not miss having puppies, that is correct. Perhaps I am just feeling sorry for myself, because I will miss out on her having puppies, and so wll my kids. But that in itself is not a good enough reason to keep her entire.

I agree. I had breeders saying, this breed is not suitable to small children, cannot be handled by any child under the age of 10. Further research uncovered that this was certainly the case with some bloodlines. My breeder said, they are great with kids, but might get a bit excited from time to time and bowl a little one over. My breeder has a reputation for good temperament in their dogs. Funnily enough, the breeder I chose has a pretty good temperament herself, compared to the one whose dogs had lesser quality temperament. Some people don't like to be told "no" though, and don't see the value in the vetting process that breeders go through - they take it too personally, instead of for what it is. A careful process to ensure that the pup and the new owner and their family and circumstances are a good match.

Giant Sharpei - just the ticket. AND they come in blue! This one won't run around the apartment too much. $120 should cover postage and we do interest free terms. :D Perfect! Deshonko, due to an unfortunate incident with a goat, my brother has been banned from owning animals in three states. Do you anticipate that this will cause any problem in our transaction? I can pay cash.

I've been dubbed secret santa to my brother who is in his early thirties, recently divorced, special forces soldier who lives in an apartment. What have you got that might suit him. He lives in a young trendy area and loves surfing. My budget is $120, but I could be persuaded to spend more for a well bred dog.

Oh NO! I really DON'T want to do it, but they don't make Implanon for dogs, as far as I am aware. I really want to keep her entire for another two or three years, then turn to breeding then. Can't just live with an entire bitch though - not in our town. (I'll be moving to the east coast in two or three years) Lots of stray crossbred dogs (entire dogs). And we are going on holiday for a month, and because we love her so much she is coming with us, and she'll be due for her first season anytime now. Probably while we are away. What else can I do? Thanks all for the friendly replies.

Not with a dog, but with horses, we just won't use steel snaps. Perhaps your dog somehow bashed the snap against a rock. We go for a loop in the end of the lead (you can get one with the loop braided in - it's very strong), and run through the halter, back through the loop then tighten. It doesn't break. Even in a horse breaking situation.

Well the time has come. My beautiful little Brittany girl has to go to the vet today to be speyed. And I'm a little sad about it. I'm only a recent convert to the purebred dog world. My experience with this pup, and with her breeder has taught me so much and I now have an enourmous respect for the level of care, knowledge and investment of time and money that goes into breeding and raising really good dogs. My little girl is on the full register, as I was considering getting a prefix and becoming a registered breeder myself, but I've since decided I just don't have the time to do it justice, with three small kids and a business to run. In the past we've had working dogs, on large cattle properties. I don't know anyone who owns registered working dogs out here, but we've all bred working dogs, joining a good bitch from a reliable line with a good dog from a reliable line. We used to have a high demand for our puppies. Now, even years later, we get people ringing us and asking us if we can help them trace a relative to their pup which has died for one reason or another. So, we enjoyed breeding dogs, and even though they were not registered, they were well raised, per the Lithgow method. We gave them away to homes which we knew were good working homes (in a small rural community you know who is who) because we were only breeding to provide another pup for ourselves when we needed to add one to the crew. I don't buy the line that people should not breed their bitches because it is dangerous for the bitch - perhaps it is for some breeds I guess. But I know that bitches love having a littler of puppies. And I'm sad that my current little girl will never get to do this, but I know that it is the right thing to do now, with this dog. Such is my respect for what went into breeding and raising her - I don't have time to raise puppies properly right now, even if I could jump through all the other hoops. I'm just a little sad about it. Does anyone understand or am I going to get shot down in flames for saying these things on this forum?

Congratulations! Ososwift's reply has some really good pointers. I'll add a couple of things. Don't dismiss jealousy too quickly. It will be normal, and is to be expected that the dogs will resent losing their current status in the home. Much of OsoSwifts reply is working towards altering their status before baby arrives, which is a great idea. They will lose their sTatus. Before baby, the dogs may be your children and your world. Baby will change this, you won't feel less for your dogs, but you will find out that you are capable of feeling so much more. New equipment. Have it in place well before baby comes so that the dogs natural curiosity is able to be satisfied without drooling on Bub. Equipment suggestion: For my last baby I got a cradle, which rocks and can be wheeled around the house. While baby was very young, this was a great way of having him near me, able to move around to be in the same room I was in and off the floor for sleeps. It was great having it next to my bed at night (current SIDS reccommendation is that young babies sleep in the same room as their mother). It just kept a newborn baby out of reach of toddlers and pets for a few months. Of course you will want them to have tummy time on the floor too - but you can supervise that closely or put the dogs outside or in a pen or something for that. The cradle is more for the many hours of daytime sleeping that new babies (hopefully) do. The timber cradle I had lasted up until about 6 months of age (much larger than a bassinet), then we transferred to a cot. Also great for a new baby (but not so dog related) is a sling. This is a cloth carrier, much like is used in third world countries. There are many different types - but generally the more traditional ones seem to me to be more comfortable for baby and claim that they better support baby's head and spine in the correct position. Google babywearing. The simpler the carrier the better. Ring sling is good for short periods of time - easy to put on and off. Maya wrap is great for more extended periods. Wearing a baby will help with colic, help put baby to sleep, increases intellectual stimulus, can help with body temperature regulation during illness and basically means a happy baby and a Mum with two free hands. I'd very much suggest it actually for walking dogs until baby gets too heavy. Managing leads from a stroller can be awkward. I found traditional cloth carriers MUCH MUCH better than the modern equivalent. Good luck! and again, Congratulations.

yap, I've PM'd you. Please check your inbox.

OK. Yap, I can understand that you are very upset, and that you are grieving the loss of a much loved pet, under difficult circumstances. And I've been through some pretty tough times myself, and it wasn't a pet and the circumstances were extremely, soul destroyingly difficult. Grief is a real, physiological response which you must work through one step and a time. Everyone does it differently. The good news, is that grief does end. This vet has not destroyed your life. Human beings have the faculty to overcome much more grief than this. You will smile again, in the future, when you are ready, IF YOU ALLOW YOURSELF. If you feel your grief is not changing over time, and progressing, then with all the love and good will in the world, I implore you to get some help either from a counsellor or from a grief support group of some sort. Talking to other people who understand what you are going through helps immensely. This trauma is not the same as a soldier coming back from OS. Nor is it the same as losing a human child. I personally know a solder who had to clean up the remains of his best mate. Actually, a few of his best mates. And I know a couple who said goodbye to their 9 year old daughter at the roadside while she passed away before medical help could arrive. And these people are moving through their grief and on with their lives, as you must also do, in order to honour your beloved dog. You and they and I will never forget, but it will hurt less as time goes by. Would your dog want you to spend your whole life grieving? Or would they rather see you happy? You may never be the same again, but you will be stronger, wiser - and this is the special gift that your pet, that loving your pet, has left with you for your whole life. Embrace it, move through your grief and seek justice when you are stonger. I just can't see an end to my greiving, I know Iwon't be able to see it now but when will it end It'll end when you are ready. When you let it end, and when you have done the work. When you have allowed the grieving process to work. It will end. It should change. Day 7 should feel different from Day 1. Day 14 will be different again. If it is changing, then no matter how much it hurts, it is normal and you are ok. If it gets stuck, if the process stops and day 14 feels the same as day 5, then there is a problem and you do need help. The biggest thing for me, was giving myself permission to be happy again. That took about 2 or 3 months. Keep a journal of how you feel every day, and every day try to do something to bring a little light into your life. A walk. Watch the sunrise. Do something physical. Physical movement helps incredibly. You go from being incapable of doing anything, to being able to eat, then perhaps you can spend a little more time out of bed. Brush your hair and get dressed properly every day. Go through the motions of life. Eventually it will start to feel a little less surreal. You won't want the company of people you don't know well for quite some time and you may feel disconected. I still do. But I have joy in my life again, and I am happy. I'm just deeper than some other people and I just can't related to some people. It's been 4 years. One day, you might feel like being happy. Give yourself permission. You will shine again - brighter than before.

OK. Yap, I can understand that you are very upset, and that you are grieving the loss of a much loved pet, under difficult circumstances. And I've been through some pretty tough times myself, and it wasn't a pet and the circumstances were extremely, soul destroyingly difficult. Grief is a real, physiological response which you must work through one step and a time. Everyone does it differently. The good news, is that grief does end. This vet has not destroyed your life. Human beings have the faculty to overcome much more grief than this. You will smile again, in the future, when you are ready, IF YOU ALLOW YOURSELF. If you feel your grief is not changing over time, and progressing, then with all the love and good will in the world, I implore you to get some help either from a counsellor or from a grief support group of some sort. Talking to other people who understand what you are going through helps immensely. This trauma is not the same as a soldier coming back from OS. Nor is it the same as losing a human child. I personally know a solder who had to clean up the remains of his best mate. Actually, a few of his best mates. And I know a couple who said goodbye to their 9 year old daughter at the roadside while she passed away before medical help could arrive. And these people are moving through their grief and on with their lives, as you must also do, in order to honour your beloved dog. You and they and I will never forget, but it will hurt less as time goes by. Would your dog want you to spend your whole life grieving? Or would they rather see you happy? You may never be the same again, but you will be stronger, wiser - and this is the special gift that your pet, that loving your pet, has left with you for your whole life. Embrace it, move through your grief and seek justice when you are stonger.

Yay yay yay! So pleased for you and your family and your girl GG. Saw you were online before when I checked the thread and came back especially to check on you. Glad to hear all is well.

What a lovely tree! I'm so very jealous - they are just not available where I live. I grew up with real trees. My mum was (still is) a wildlife rescue carer, one year, we had a diamond python decorating the tree along with all the lights and tinsel and everything. I remember it did a big poo all over the lounge.... Anyway, Christmas isn't the same without real trees. Other things you could do to make OH happy - perhaps even a bit teary eyed, is incorporate something from their traditional menu into your own plans. Even secretly contact a family member for a favourite recipe. We are British, a mix of English and Scottish families, so my parents in particular miss the traditional Christmas, but I think after about 25 years they are getting used to it. Oh, that sray on snow is nice on the windows too - you can get stencils. Quite traditional. And carols. And the people who have trouble cleaning up pine needles, here are some tips. 1: Recut the stump before you place the tree in a bucket of water and bricks. 2: Place the tree on wood floor, or tiles, or if it has to be on carpet, put something under it to catch the needles (like a big cloth, extra big tree skirt). 3: Bring the tree down fairly promptly - if you leave it until February, you WILL have a mess on your hands. And the down side of real trees - we've had them with some sort of insect all over them and a couple of times have had to spray the tree heavily and leave it outside for the night before we brought it in.

Ahh. Thanks GG. Good luck with your girl. Thought you were staying off the boards tonight. You know, I found a dog once lost away from home a week later. We were so very relieved. It was in the bush and we were so worried about her. We also lost a mustering dog once, when mustering on a property about 30km from home. She was picked up two weeks later by a friend who recognised her, half way home. She was pretty skinny and knocked about but she was ok. Stay strong.

I sent a package to my brother over there once. I included a mens magazine. Apparantly it was good currency. Mum and Dad got into trouble for sending him alcohol. Pancake mix was popular. Good on our troops doing the job they are doing. And anyone who supports them - it is so very much appreciated. They come back and here about how it is not our war blah blah blah. The people over there get to see just how important it is and the rest of us have no idea.

Ohhh, I missed it. I need a laugh too! Post it again - go on... please.

Yes, bybers breeding for $ are part of the problem. But I also think today's mentality of "I want it, and I want it now" is a part of the problem. Many of the dogs in shelters are there not only because of how they were bred, and how their early husbandry was carried out, but also because the families who took them home did so on a whim. When buying my first purebred dog this year, I felt I was jumping through hoops for the breeders in order to buy a puppy. And at the time I didn't like the feeling and felt I was at times being spoken down to. Now I understand and appreciate what the breeders were doing, not only protecting their puppies and ensuring they had a good future, and a forever home, but also making sure I got what I needed, and had realistic expectations of our new family member. This process was somewhat uncomforatble and unfamiliar to me, but it was necessary and has resulted in a wonderful pup for us, and a forever home for that puppy. Some people are not prepared to go through this process, and will not tolerate it when they could cough up for a fashionable little cross breed, like what everyone else has and walk away with their puppy, blissfully unaware of the possible future for their family and their new dog. What is the answer to this problem? I don't know. Probably illegalise all breeding other than that through registered breeders - though perhaps the scope of registered breeders would also need to change somewhat, too, and the establishment of breeders who are dedicated to producing healthy, registered home raised puppies particularly for the pet market should be welcomed if other sources of puppies are to be shut down. I guess my point is, that the strength in the pure bred world is not necessarily superior genetics (though this of course is important), but the care that goes into raising (or at least in my experience) and homing puppies and educating and supporting owners - this care is why there are so few purebred puppies in shelters. Someone once told me that babies were so hard to get for a reason (9 months pregnancy, painful labour possibly years trying to conceive) - so that we valued them once we got them. Puppy farm puppies are too easily got to be truly valued as any living animal should be.

Put her in the middle, where the seats are! Just kidding. I like the wooden box idea. We've taught dogs to put their "hands" up, then lift the hind legs ourselves, but they weren't that heavy. She looks like a lovely girl.

Hey Amy, I'm about 400km north of there. (rough guess) Not sure how long you've been in the west, but I'd suggest contacting any local box operators still open. Signs offering a reward at the pubs don't hurt either, and the road houses. Then there is always the local coppers. Good dogs are often picked up and not returned, sadly, especially by visiting parties. Good luck

Thanks for all the ideas guys. I knew dol would be a good place to ask.