Sabbath

I have always stayed. My heart still aches, my tears still come. It's been nearly 5 months since I lost my Bender. Like others I don't judge those that can't stay.

Having a read now, very interesting. I follow team dog but missed this one on FB. Thanks for sharing.

Over the years I've noticed people, more specifically non dog people, seem to frequently obsess over getting the 'runt' of the litter. Is this just a sales technique used by BYB? I want the strongest, fittest, most capable pup that I can get.

I've been using an Adaptil collar for a few weeks for separation anxiety with no success. No change at all.

Yep!

I also love people that think they 'rescued' a dog when they bought it at a pet shop. A very commonly misused word.

Yep, I agree with this. Best to always check first.

I'm not upset but clearly some people are.

I think graphs like these, or indeed any chart making such comparisons are designed to upset people. Mission accomplished!

Done!

My Amstaff sleeps with me in bed all year round. Come the cooler months he snuggles into me and even sleeps with his head over my neck. So he feels the cold, even here on the Gold Coast.

Done! :)

I think that there is a misunderstanding. No-one here is suggesting that the BYB 'oodle' type or any other BYB or puppy mill dogs are a good thing.

Sure they love running/racing but you can't convince me that trainers or owners have the dogs enjoyment of running at heart. If there was no money involved, you think many trainers would do it? Most other dog sports COST the owners money, not make it. I have previously stated I like dog sport. Also greyhound racing is an industry, not a hobby. Not all trainers are the same. Some (many) see their greyhounds as part of their family. The same as most of us who train and compete in agility sports. There are also lure coursing clubs that are for not-greyhounds but any kind of dog that wants to run. There's no money to be made doing that, no TAB betting, and the participants pay for the equipment and ground hire and there's some risk of vet expenses if the dog injures themselves making a bad turn. So it's not about profit. My dog loves to run flat out and chase things (usually me), total joy and can we do it again please... eg if we're practicing start line stays the only thing she wants is permission to run. It trumps even food treats. She's sorely disappointed if she gets a treat for her stay instead of to run and chase. You make a sweeping generalisation saying all greyhound trainers are in it only for the money. It might be true of the horrible person who dumped 55 dead dogs in the park (they should get done for toxic waste dumping if nothing else). But if every slow greyhound was dealt with this way - there would be a lot more. I think I remember a couple of years ago - some NSW dog pound officer got into trouble for taking the unwanted dogs to the nearest country rubbish tip and shooting them dead there and dumping them. That was cruel and stupid too, and he saved money in vet and green dream drug costs but he didn't actually get to pocket any of that saving. Cruel treatment of animals is not always about profit. And making money from animals is not always about cruelty. I think if greyhound racing got banned, then so might agility, obedience (I actually see people beating up their dogs at obedience competiions and training - it's horrible), and lure coursing, earth dog, tracking... And then there would be more bored barking dogs because we're not allowed to train the dogs to do what they were bred to do - or an approximation of it? I think you're not quite understanding me. I am in no way against dogs undertaking the exact sport they are bred for. I am against an industry that exploits dogs for the profit of people that do not care. I love seeing a dog in an agility run, or doing obedience or tracking or protection or lure coursing or weight pull or ET or herding. You name it, if a dog is being used for it's design I'm right behind that. I love dog sport. I defend some of the sports that even other dog people don't agree with. I'm sure there's horrible people involved with every one of those disciplines. I'm also sure that if one could gamble on these events legally that the motivation for competing would inevitably change for the worse. There is no need for an industry worth so much money to be based on racing dogs. I can't get my head around that. It's not pig-headedness. I just don't think in the future that anyone will look back on greyhound racing as it stands today as a very enlightened pursuit.

I can't see that?

Sure they love running/racing but you can't convince me that trainers or owners have the dogs enjoyment of running at heart. If there was no money involved, you think many trainers would do it? Most other dog sports COST the owners money, not make it. I have previously stated I like dog sport. Also greyhound racing is an industry, not a hobby.

Speaking only for myself, I'd prefer it was simply a hobby dog sport. So it's no longer an 'industry' with an association with gambling and high levels of financial pressures riding on the dogs' backs. Just specialty lure-coursing attracting owners who love the breed doing what they can mostly do so well ... run. But that's Pollyanna-ish. Billions of dollars of revenue from betting on greyhounds is generated each year just in one state, NSW. Lot of vested interests. Yep, this I could get on board with. I'm all for dog sport! I just can't see this industry as anything we need. I do love seeing dogs perform a task. I do love a well conditioned dog going to work. I just don't like commercial interests ruling the treatment of these poor dogs.

I would like to see the argument FOR greyhound racing. What exactly does it do that we need. Need it so much that it's legal and sponsored and defended.

Finding a breeder of pedigree dogs shouldn't be a secret.

Yes, I'd be against it no matter what. It's repulsive.

Anyone that supports this 'sport' is no friend of dogs.

It's common for APBT to be referred to as bulldogs in the US. Some argue that APBT are the original bulldog. Not mixed with terriers at all.

My Bender at 5 weeks. Cute as anything!

I liked this too.

It was referred to as a 'blue staffy' repeatedly in the press here on the gold coast. Ugh!