Blackdogs

Sound slike it could be Vitiligo. Google 'vitiligo dogs' and go to the 'images' tab.

Politicians seem to be under the impression that we can wipe out dog attacks. This is never going to happen. As long as we live with dogs there will be dog bites, just as living with cars will beget car accidents, living with people will ensure violence and living with stairs will mean scores of trip-related accidents. Statistically, dogs cause much fewer injuries than do cars. I imagine people and stairs probably fall into the same category. If you think about it, it's amazing that we can live with another powerful species who don't speak our language and come out of it so well. It doesn't matter whether or not we manage to reduce the number of dog bites, as long as there are any dog bites at all there will be media hype creating public panic. So when does the regulation stop? When there are no more breeds to eradicate? When dogs can no longer leave their yards without a leash and muzzle? There is no 'dog bite problem'. There is just 'life' and living will always entail a landmine of potential dangers, but limiting life to the point where it's not worth living is not the answer. This is where we are heading with over-regulation, not just of dogs and dog ownership but in many other areas. Once legislation is passed it is rarely abolished and we are living in a litigious society with a mainstream media that feeds off public fear. As a result, legislation is stacked upon legislation in an increasingly suffocating and repressive living environment. The perceived 'dog bite problem' is just another symptom of this media hype/moral panic/legislation carousel. Education, not restriction is the key.

If you currently have, or have had in the past, an older dog, I would be interested to find out the following: a) Breed: b) Age: c) Diet: d) Supplements: e) Exercise regime: f) Temperament: g) Prior/current health concerns: h) Living arrangements: i) Pictures! No one seems to be able to pinpoint a common denominator in canine longevity, so perhaps this small-scale study will provide some enlightenment. Disclaimer: This is not an official study, just something to sate my interest.

What a stunning dog and what a great age. I find fluffies tend to hide their age well. Our old family dog would be mistaken for a puppy at age 15. She would dart around all playful in her pretty apricot coat and people were often shocked to find out her age.

Lovely to hear all these stories. May as well add mine here. Our old family dog, a Shih Tzu X JRT was almost 16 when she was euthanised for severe dementia (she showed a lot of distress a lot of the time towards the end and we decided her quality of life, because of this, was poor). Aside from this though, she still had perfect joints, good eyesight and would enjoy 5k walks on a regular basis (she could even still outrun me, though that's not saying much ). If we let nature take its course she would probably have survived a few more years.

Also, who else's dog from this thread is still going strong? Any new additions, to this thread from other DOLers?

Love this thread. I'm hoping my lot live forever. Just wondering how your oldies are going? And what the hell you feed them?

Any big, solid, short-coated, boofy-headed dog with drive (that isn't a gun dog)is probably not going to be percieved well by Jo Public, so you might have to consider either bending on that criterion or altering your desired breed characteristics. Are your current Bull Arab types 'public friendly'?

They were going to be mine, too. Now it happens that I have just acquired a puppy. What awesome little dogs they are. However, I've changed my mind about having them as a retirement breed, this one, at 5 months is about twice as active as my very active Kelpie!

So I guess a Pitbull is out then. Seriously, I think it's a mistake to think these laws are going to affect non-ANKC breeds with papered proof of breeding. However, if you insist, I have seen some drivey Bull Terriers about and certainly there are some working Rotties & Dobes that would fit the bill, but one of my favourite working mastiffs is the Cane Corso. Well worth looking into.

For loss of muscle tone you can't go past swimming. There are some heated pools specifically designeed for dogs with such issues. Thr only way to combat the loss is to build it back up and the only way to do that in an older dog is to find a form of exercise which is non-weight bearing.

Not recognised by the ANKC, but recognised by other registration bodies. The breed has long lines and reputable breeders who engage in health, type and temperament testing.

Scott line American-Bulldog.

Amstaff.

My favourite breeds are high-energy working breeds and they're the type I tend to stick to. However, being realistic, I'll probably need to consider a breed that is less demanding when I get older. So far, I think a low-drive Smooth Collie would probably suit my needs the best, but wonder what breeds others would choose for their 'retirement' dogs so that I might add to my list. :D

Thanks for all your replies. I will definitely be looking into Blackhawk Holistic now. Poodlefan: I have a five year old medium sized dog who is very active and an equally active small breed, four month old puppy.

Maybe I'm tired, but I read through this whole thread and it seemed as though the main question as to where the ingredients are sourced was still not answered. I'm curious to know the answer as I am looking to switch over to BH.

I'm appealing to all who have researched before me for advice on where I can find the cheapest dog food in Melbourne (pref delivery if poss) from this list: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showcat.php/cat/8 If you can't help, then maybe you can tell me what you feed your dog and why (and/or what you would never feed your dog and why). You can include info on additives, such as omega 3 or kelp if you like. Thanks in advance!

There is currently no test for the APBT in Australia. This is because there can be no base sample taken in the absence of cooperative parties and official breed standards.