~Anne~

Ataxia is a symptom, not a seizure. It's weakness of the hind legs. The type of seizure is dependant on the part of the brain affected. I don't believe that genetic inheritance determines the type of seizure, although I could be wrong. There are three types of seizures - tonic clonic or generalised (grand mal), petite mal and focal or partial. Epilepsy, even with clusters, is not necessarily a death sentence. Many dogs can live a happy and active life despite the seizures. If nothing else, seizures are considered painless. Confusing perhaps, but painless. I also would not consider a dog with epilepsy in its lines unless I was looking to rescue a dog. Certainly not for a breed program though!

They don't vaccinate until they get a deposit and the pup is only 8 weeks old? Wow... am I reading that correctly? What about the risk to the pup while it waits for someone to pay a deposit?

There's your problem. The Daily Telegraph. It's not a serious print media publication, it's more like a trashy mag. Only journos who failed to find a real job, work there.

Poor you and poor her. Such a difficult position to develop a MCT. I've had experience with a difficult one on the rear ankle where there wasn't much surrounding tissue to remove without hacking into the joint so to speak. However, the tumour was smaller. We've removed them all up until recently and they keep coming. My memory has gone blank but I think we've had 8 removals so far. It seems to me that most dogs continue to develop more tumours. It they're low grade there is every chance the tumours will not signal the death of your dog. I believe that most dogs have several years of good living with low grade tumours. It's for this reason we are not removing anymore from Boof. He is a few months off 12.

You obviously like the brachy and I love the breeds you've chosen too. I'm sure you've done your research and already know how very different those 3 breeds are though? The exercise requirements between them is very different so keep that in mind. The bulldog is one end of the spectrum and the boxer the other. I agree with what others have said widen the search and you will have a better chance of finding good breeders. Can I suggest you ring up the NSW Canine Council and ask for the dates and venues of the dog shows where these breeds might appear. By attending a show you can speak to a range of breeders in one day and see some of the dogs they have. You can get a range of ideas about which of the three will be the best for you. My only word of advice is in relation to the pug. I ran Pug Rescue Sydney for several years and in that time I took in a few pugs that were being churned out from the Hunter and or Newcastle area that had appalling health and behavioural issues. I have no idea who the breeder was though. So be careful in your choice. Good luck and don't forget to post the pics. Everyone loves a puppy!

The child had other injuries consistent with possible abuse I believe.

Not entirely sure where I stand on breeders not registering some or all of a litter, But I do disagree with the bolded bit above. The ancestry of the dog doesn't change if they are not registered. (As long as you are 100% sure the breeder is legit and is doing all the correct health tests and is registered themselves) It is still as valuable to the purchaser, they want a pedigree dog with the lineage intact, they just don't need the piece of paper that proves it. I have the pedigree certificate for the 2 pedigree dogs I have owned. They sit in a safe, never looked at, never needed. In my situation why do I need them? - other than to prove the pedigree is legit, but as i said, if you are sure of that then why? Mind you, if, as stated, it only costs $25 to register a pup then it does seem pointless to break ANKC rules for $25 Of course it's ancestory doesn't change but the record of ancestory is lost. Scenarios: Person A buys unregistered pup. 5 years later person A dies and unregistered pup goes to unknown new person. History lost. Person A buys unregistered pup. 2 years later person A decides they can keep unregistered pup and rehomes it. History lost. Without a record accompany the pup of its ancestry, it effectively does not have a recorded ancestoral history. All of the arguments put forward so far assume that person A will forever have the pup and will keep on contact with the breeder. It's a disregard for rules set down by a governing body, peer expectations, and it destroys a claim of value that purebred dogs have. When it is spoken of with such disregard 'it's just a piece of paper with a fancy name' it destroys the value that many have fought so hard to retain.

You know, it's not even the fact that it means that a record of the ancestors of one particular purebred dog is unknown, but the fact that a breeder talks so negatively and is so blasé about a system that is meant to be the backbone of purebred dogs. It stupefies me that breeders, in this current day, can so easily devalue the worth of an ancestory of a purebred dog. That ancestory and the method of recording it, is what is used as one of the psitive arguments for buying a purebred dog. It is one of a set of many values that ONLY purebred dogs have.

I'd leave them alone unless they become inflamed, infected, begin weeping or multiply. If you're concerned, get your vet to have a look at them.

A piece of paper with a fancy name?! Really?! Is that what you think pedigree papers are? Something that gives a dog a fancy name? No wonder the canine breeding world is where it is.

How tragic.

And wasn't Scallywags an offshoot of White Shep Rescue?

That's great!

Lovely story and such a logical resolution to the problem! I wonder what the numbers of penguins are now?

My walks are meanders too. They really love to spend minutes sniffing around certain trees and absorbing the scents. A 5 minute walk can take us half an hour! :laugh:

Lilypily is the founder of NSWAR, Little Gifts. I didn't realise they'd moved so far away from Sydney.

Agree with passing the bill on. The muzzle is a good idea too. Could you also perhaps give your dog a few bad experiences with socks to deter him, like lacing one, that you deliberately leave out, with a bitterant or something?

OMG LG, that is one determined dog! :laugh:

Great article. I particularly agree with the point about walking your dog too. I see so many dogs that are made to walk like little soldiers without being able to explore even a little. It's sad.

I have a very naughty 9 year old Pug who behaves like a puppy still. Earlier this year we went out to dinner. Both Olivia and Boof were safely (or so we thought) in the dog pen in bed. When we walked in the house the first thing we see are two very large poops and a wet patch in the hall. I'm like 'what tha...??' As I walk past the next room I see another wet patch. We'd only been gone for a couple of hours too. Different things are racing through my mind. Because of the amount and it being inside I couldn't fathom it was my dogs doing it. Down to the living room I walk and here is Oliva up on the lounge as fat as a sausage. She could barely move. Boof was still in his bed in the pen. Olivia had managed to get out of the pen and into the pantry where she pulled a bag of her kibble from the shelf and proceeded to stuff herself stupid. The next week, and after we thought we had fixed the pen problem, we were out to dinner again. We came home, this time with guests in tow, to find the contents of the bathroom bin torn up all over the floor. The contents were not a pretty sight... let's just say secret woman's business. have never been so embarrassed. There was Olivia again all happy of see us, tail wagging and making her snorting, snuffling sounds. We walked down to the lounge room and all of the cushions from the lounge were on the floor showing plenty of evidence she'd been up on the lounge again too. Over the years I've had many a naughty dog incident.... I still have 8 dining room chairs with chewed rungs. Boof once dug a hole into the arm of the lounge. I'm not sure why. For fun I guess. And once, many years ago, Boof, Monte and a couple of rescues managed to get up on a shelf where I had several packets of chewable wormers. They ate them all! Thankfully with no il effects and they certainly had no worms! Another evening I recall coming home around midnight from a wedding and I couldn't find Monte anywhere. I started frantically calling for him and raced out to check the yard. I found him, standing on a step, with a container stuck on his head. He must have been that way for a while and he was only getting limited oxygen so it was lucky we found him. The container had held dynamic lifter pellets that had been soaking in water. It was empty but the smell was a strong enough lure for him to stick his head in it I guess.

NSWAR used to take a lot of pregnant dogs. I assume they still do.

Yes, dogs can suffer with mood and behaviour changes. Not sure about temp control. Other side effects are increased thirst, increased urination, ataxia and increased hunger as well as liver damage and the obvious effects of being on a drug designed to affect brain function.

He appeared to be a much loved pet to me. The guy cuddled him, the younger woman cuddled him. He was well fed and groomed to boot. I can't see any indication that the owners wouldn't do what is in the best interests of the dog.

Sorry, just noticed this. All this too! ^^

Bum scooting can basically signal any issue related to irritation around the anus and vulva. Worms are another commonly suggested cause.