pepe001

I got a GSD from an RSPCA a while ago. He was a nice dog and we trialled, got our CD title and did lots of doggy activities. When a friend rang me to ask if I knew someone who wanted to rehome a GSD as they wanted an adult I thought of him. I took him around to their house, put him on a stay at the front door and told him to bark. They invited him in and he was 'home'. He adored them and they adored him. When he saw me he would come over for a pat but never take his eyes off his boss. They rang me a few years ago to tell me he had died of cancer and that they never expect to get such a good dog ever again. He was the man's heart-dog, no doubt. To me he was nice but a bit annoying. Like most posters here I never really bonded and never missed him when he left.

My giant schnauzer could easily have been seen as being abused by a man. She was very scared-defensive and if approached would fly into attack mode. I got her from a good breeder at 9 weeks and she has never had one as bad as her. She wasn't stable at 8 weeks but I though love and the right training would fix her. Nope, she died a unrtrustworthy unstable loon many years later. But just before being put to sleep the vet found weird infections inside of her which without more testing he couldn't define. He predicts that she may have had permanent urinary track infections - so no wonder she was unstable - always in pain.

I like to think about their history but don't dwell on it. Just like people that go through trauma - they need to look forward to recover. My dogs stories are. Larry (looks like ACD*kelpie) was adopted from a rescue shelter at a few months old. He lived for a few years with his owner who adore hiom but let him be a total loony. He is scared of water out of hoses, hair brushes and sticks - I guess these were methods of punishment. If he sees any of these he drops to the ground and wimpers. His owner died (a brother to a friend) and he came to me for fostering. He seemed like he had been trained - sit, drop, heel, not jumping up etc but his previous owner didn't do it so must have been when very young. Wonderful dog when calmed down. He went off to a new home a few weeks later but the resident dog didn't like him. So he came back to stay. Still scared of water and sticks so we just don't wash him often, don't approach him with sticks and don't brush him. Seems like a perfectly normal dog otherwise and is one of those ogs who knows what you want and wants to do it. Lily was also a rescue (looks like a ACD*BC). She came from the RSPCA at 8 months. Was found wandering in the city at about 2 months - did her time at the pound and then two different RSPCAs. Not scared of anything and loves all people. BUT her funny behaviour is whatever you point at she will jump on and then high-5. Chairs, tables, wheely bins, backs of utes and even the roof of a car (not very funny that one) if she sees you point at it. She can climb ladders and scale a 6ft run-fence. She can clear a 5 ft fence from a standstill and jump onto the roof of a car without touching the sides. I guess the RSPCA had a agility course and taught her to jump up on stuff and then high-5 as a reward. She is not interested in leaving her new people - which is lucky as our fences wouldn't hold her in at all. The day she came home it was like she was here all along. We even changed her name and she didn't act any different. For the first few days she did have another weird behaviour (this has now extinct itself). Before you put her food bowl down she would back away until she hit something solid. For example, she ran backwards 50 metres to out gate up the driveway. I had to walk up, put her on a lead and hold her so she would eat. I rang the RSPCA and we worked it out. They kenneled two dogs together and before feeding one dog would come forward and one back-up before the bowls were put down. She was a back-up dog so was just doing what she was told - back-up unitl you are at the back of the cage. Then you get fed.

double post

For anyone who wants a bit of history on why this is so important. A significant loggerhead marine turtle population nests at Mon Repos and surrounds. Not long ago (in the 1980's) the prediction was that within 20 years this population would not exist. Nesting numbers were crashing each year. This was not only devestating for the species but also for the many hundreds of people dedicating their lives to these animals. Many many nights were spent trying solve the riddle and turn the decline around. Why were they in critical need? In the 1960's the Qld National Parks made a decision to keep island nesting colonies protected and let developers etc have the mainland beaches. The foxes destroyed over 95% of hatches in the 60s and 70s. But it was thought that it was ok as the island nests were fine. But Dr Colin LImpus discovered that the hotter light island sands produced more males and the cooler mainland sand produced more females. So National Parks made the most expensive land purchase in the day - Mon Repos beach and started a dedicated fox eradication program. But numbers were still crashing - what was happening? At the same time trawlers were killing significant numbers of adults. That was when Turtle Exclusion Devices were introduced (late 1990's)plus a voluntary closure of waters near the beach where turtles met to mate during the hatching season. Correctly set the catch rate was decreased to almost zero. BUT nesting numbers were still crashing each year. The mumbers were crunched again and research ramped up to find out why. If you go backwards with the predictive models the years of fox predation created a hole in the population structure. The turtles take about 30 years to mature and for about 10 years (mid 60's to mid 70's) very few females made it into the water plus many adult females killed by trawlers. So as that hole worked it way up in age by the early 2000 there were few females starting to nest - foxes got them at birth. But the news has improved - that hole is getting less important as more turtles survive the nesting experience and also few adults die. Over the last 5 years numbers have climbed and each nesting season is better than the last. There are other success stories like the rangers and volunteers who spend every night of the nesting and hatching season digging up nests that will be destroyed by high tides. The nests are laid by turtles, and if below the high water mark it is dug up and relocated in more suitable areas of the beach. In times of cyclones or big seas people can be seen fighing the elements and locating and digging up nests and relocating them. It is very difficult work in bad weather but there is rarely a need to call for volunteers - they just come. The fox eradication continues and if one is seen it is tracked down and destroyed. Trawlers continue to use TEDs and kill almost no adults. It is renowned as one of the most successful rebuilding efforts worldwide with an endangered species.

To me it sounds like a dog got excited and just grabbed whatever was in front of his face and it just happened to be his owner. But he obviously had more issues (or his owner does) for it to turn into a 'savage attack'. Maybe the owner fought back with extra aggression (punching and kicking the dog aggrssively for example) and the dog then kicked into defense ('save my life' drive). Maybe the dog has been 'touched' up by an aggressive owner previously or maybe it was mentally unstable for whatever reason. I had an interesting experience a few years back that could have turned nasty with a different dog. I had my aggressive bitch tied in my shed while the telstra man was doing some work on my phone lines. The bitch hated men and was not a stable girl. I told him to not go near her. Next to her I had my shepherd tied - just to keep him out of the way. He was a good stable dog and had done some basic schauzhund training. I was standing near the GSD but looking away and idiot man decided to pat the growling bitch. (He knew dogs, of course, he said afterwards). She lunged at him and jerked backwards onto the ground when she hit the end of her rope. Missed him by not much - that would have been a serious bit as she was mean. I swung around when I heard the noise and my GSD jumped at me and hung onto my arm. As soon as I looked down at him and said his name and he looked up he dropped off and lay down calmly. I had a thick jumper on so it bruised a bit but not hurt or anything. I think he was prey-drive excited by the other 'mad' dog and just grabbed what was in front of him. On top of that I had swung around so my arms were moving around near his head.

So I wonder where the mate was when the attack was occuring. A woman from next door ran over to help break it up?????

I second Comfortis. I use tick collars (the green-boxed waterproof one) but the dogs still get fleas. I have tried Proban - nope, Frontline - nope, FL Plus - nope, and one other squeeze on - nope. The only one that has worked here is Comfortis. I am also in SEQld.

I didn't read the bit about the pound but this morning on the Today Show while sittng on the ground holding her son she asked the rescuers about the dogs. She was told they were still missing and seemed upset. She also said she closed the gate and went to bath her youngest 2yo and her son came in (I assume an older boy) and didn't close the gate. It sounded like it was a self-locking gate that wasn't pulled shut. Teh rescuers said he was alone and cold when they found him - no mention of the dogs.

I love IGs but wouldn't be a good owner to one (too loud and too much happening in my house plus cats chooks etc). But I can't help but stare in wonder when I see one. One day when my life calms down I may consider getting one. I have been staring at that little face for ages. I did meet one many years ago. Owned by a slightly-retarded (not sure of politically correct name for her). She was a lovely (10yo I guess) girl but was quite loud and rough and lied often. She would climb over our fence and help herself to food etc and wouldn't stop talking. Her constant companion was an iggy. He was beautiful and bold but always polite and kind. She dragged him all over town and he happily trotted after her and was thrown/dragged (that bit horrified me) over the fences when the girl went visiting (another thing that horrified me but I was only a teen myself and didn't think much of it). He would walk into our house and climb on to my lap for a cuddle and was just such a nice dog. She would call him and he obediently trot over and stand for the lead to be put on. I haven't thought about him for years but he had me entranced and I guess he is why they facinate me so much.

I will let someone else answer the first question but your second one - APBT vs ASBT? That is the problem - genetically they are the same dog just with a few generations (quite a few) 0f breeding for a different standard. The pitbull is the working line for the show-bred ASBT so many look the same. Same goes for some staffy and other bully breed crosses - if they happen to look like a pitty they are branded and in some cases destroyed for no reason except someone thought they looked like a pitbull.

Complex behaviour I would break down to manageable parts. I once taught an amazing play dead (useless I know but still cool) using a clicker in a few days. I started with a head turn, then the leaning body, then the fall, then the stillness, then twitching legs, then final still. I have also done schultzhund (but not to a competition standard) and the obedience was almost the same as when I did normal obedience. The tracking I did the same as when I was training tracking under a competition tracking person and protection had no comparision as the helper was always dressed for the part so no confusion with other disciplines. The sch people trained differently but had no issues with me as long as I got the same result. But I never used the clicker in front of them. I did my obedience at home off lead using a clicker and didn't take dog to classes until he was proficient. I did use a choke but never tightened it as he was clicker-trained to heel.

For another perspective for chooks (and birds too I believe) a purebred is anything that resembles the breed. They can be shown as a breed if they look like it - no pedigree necessary.

I have had a few (quite agressive at times) arguments with a relative who owns a purebred cattle cross kelpie. Yes, both parents are apparently purebred (but hold no papers and are farm bred so even that is very iffy) so his dog is also purebred??? "You see -= purebred times purebred must equal purebred. For a dog person you are a bit dense". " Yeh, right dufus", from me. That last two sentences is how it ended last time. I just walked away shaking my head and he smirked like he had won. But I was beaten by his pigheadiness and inability to see reason.

If you wish to get a harness for pulling I would get a sleddog cross over harness - like those made by 'windchill'. They are made to fit the dog and because they are designed for pulling so won't put pressure on the wrong areas of your dog.

Poor baby. But I do have a question. These dog-dumping chutes - when the dog hits the bottom are they all mixed up together if more than one dog is put it?? Recipe for disaster if more than one dog can fit in at one stage. This story has also has made me think of another news article I saw a few years back. I don't even remember the country - but somewhere in the world there are baby dumping chutes. It was a very cold country (Russia ???? maybe) where if babies are dumped outside hospitals they die from cold. So some hospitals (or maybe one - can't remember) built a baby dumping chute that kept the dumped babies warm. It is a sad sad world sometimes.

Reading down the comments is this article about the owner being charged. Hope the rescuers get to keep her. http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/08/man-faces-animal-cruelty-charge-after-abandoning-dog-on-colorado-mountain Man Faces Animal Cruelty Charge After Abandoning Dog on Colorado Mountain Email 7 Smaller Font Text Larger Text | Print (Courtesy Scott Washburn) A 29-year-old man is expected to face a charge of animal cruelty after he abandoned his dog on Colorado mountain, the Clear Creek Sheriff’s Office officials said Friday. Anthony Joseph Ortolani told The Denver Channel earlier that he was forced to leave his German shepherd named Missy on the snow-capped peaks of Mount Bierstadt Aug. 5, when a storm moved in and he became worried for the safety of a younger hiker who was with him. He said his dog’s feet were cut up from walking on sharp rocks and it could no longer walk. ABC News’ previous efforts to reach Ortolani were unsuccessful. Scott Washburn and his wife, Amanda, found Missy Aug. 11, while they were on a leisurely hike up Mount Bierstadt. “We were hiking to this ridge and we got off course and I was a little ahead of my wife,” he said. “She called out to me and said, ‘Hey I found a dog,’ and figured I misheard her ’cause there was no way a dog was where we were.” Washburn and his wife were incredulous at how this dog, tucked into a tiny nook between rocks, could have ended up where it was. The whimpering dog was, as Washburn said, “in awful shape.” He was convinced it would have died if left without food or water for much longer. The couple tried to coax the dog up out of the rocks and down the mountain but it was clear the dog was too injured and weak to move. “We knew we weren’t going to be able to get her out by herself,” said Washburn. “Her paws were completely raw and her elbows were torn up.” Washburn got together a group of eight volunteers and the group headed back up the mountain that Monday morning. The group found the dog with all of its wounds Washburn had tried to bandage reopened. The rocks around the dog were covered in blood, and the dog was back cowering beneath the surrounding rocks. The group of eight hikers traveled through a full-blown snowstorm that broke out during their hike. Eventually, after a nine-hour rescue mission, the group successfully managed to bring back the broken and bruised dog in a hiker’s oversized backpack. Upon their return, the hikers entrusted the dog to a local vet, who told Washburn that it was “the miracle dog of the century, and although she was severely dehydrated she has, miraculously, no long-term or permanent damage.” “I just don’t think that his actions have shown that he is a responsible dog owner,” Washburn said. “We understand that he had to leave her there. My wife and I did the same thing. But we ended up going back for her, and we went to some pretty extreme lengths to do so. In my opinion, that is not a responsible dog owner, who doesn’t really care about her.” Washburn and his wife, as well as other members of the rescue team, would now like to adopt Missy, Washburn said. But Ortolani is asking for his dog back. Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Sgt. Rick Safe said “the dog was basically abandoned up there.” “He [Ortolani] made no initial attempt. After three days, he thought the dog was deceased so he made no attempts to reclaim the dog,” Page said. The sheriff’s department also has a rescue team, and other hikers told them about Missy being stranded on Mount Bierstadt during the weekend. However, the rescue team was unable to respond because it is solely reserved for human rescues. “We can’t specifically send a rescue effort for a dog,” Safe said. “We have a designated rescue team. In the last two weeks we have had six rescues, one a day on the weekends, for people. It is tough terrain out there.”

Here is the followup article in the Courier Mail. Seems very strange - owner claims dogs jumped him from behind when he went to answer the door and was in some sort of glazed-eye rage. Anyway - thoughts??? Defence drive at door and misplaced aggression - like when one dogs gets excited it sometimes attacks the other dog standing near it. I have seen this with two small dogs. One went balistic at the door and would often turn on the other quiet dog. Being small fluffies it wasn't that serious but with two large strong dogs - could be vbery serious. http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/pampered-best-mate-unleashes-surprise-attack/story-e6freoof-1226453252236 ...Queensland Pampered 'best mate' unleashes surprise attack by: Kris Crane From: The Sunday Mail (Qld) August 19, 2012 12:00AM Increase Text SizeDecrease Text SizePrintEmail Share Add to DiggAdd to del.icio.usAdd to FacebookAdd to KwoffAdd to MyspaceAdd to NewsvineWhat are these? 0 Geoff Matthews was attacked by his dog Jack who was later put down along with his other pet dog Rosie. Source: Supplied IT WAS the phone call Kathy Field will never forget - when police told her they had shot the family dogs that had just savaged her husband for about half an hour in their Logan home last Sunday. Ms Field said her husband Geoff Matthews, who is in hospital undergoing extensive surgery, found it hard to relive the horrific attack. The couple treated the two american bulldogs, Jack and Rosie, as part of their family. The dogs had their own room fitted out with a king-size bed and filled with toys. "Geoff said he was getting up to answer the door when Jack jumped on him from behind and he fell to the ground," she said. "He said it wasn't Jack, didn't even look like Jack. He yelled but he didn't flinch - his eyes were glazed over." Mr Matthews has had surgery to his face, arms and legs over the past week, but no amount of treatment can repair the damage caused when his "best mate" attacked him for nearly half an hour. Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar. Recommended CoverageRelated Coverage . Police shoot two dogs Police have shot two dogs after a dog attack in Heritage Park yesterday morning which left a man with serious injuries. ..End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar. He also suffered a broken leg in the attack. Now Ms Field says the couple have lost their children and best friends. "For Geoff it's just so hard to think your best mate did that," she said. Ms Field cannot believe four-year-old Jack would hurt Geoff. She said the bond they shared was amazing. "They were best mates from the moment we brought him home at eight weeks old," she said. "He would jump on Geoff's knee as a baby at 10kg, and he still did the same at 50kg. "They were inseparable. Jack would sit between Geoff's legs at the dinner table for every meal. Geoff always said he would take Jack with him everywhere if he could." Ms Field was at her mother's home when she got the news and she thought the call was a practical joke. "I thought it was a joke; I couldn't believe it," she said. "The police officer just kept apologising over and over before she told me Geoff had been attacked by his own dogs. "Although Rosie didn't attack Geoff, police had to shoot her too. "We understand they did what they had to do." While Mr Matthews has had several skin grafts, Ms Field said it was the emotional wounds that were the hardest to deal with. "The injuries will heal, the rest could take a while," she said.

I would just start with they will cost you money. Lets say - 4 puppies sell for $400 each - wow that is $1600 - not quite. Also not registered so will go for much less than registered, unable to be shown due to not being registered. If mum doiesn't give birth easily it will be at least $2000 in vet fees. Puppies will need to be microchipped, vacinated and wormed (costs $? - I'm guessing over $100 each). If one gets sick that decreases the profit even more. That is if they can be sold (they are common so may not even sell at all) - if not - what is she going to do with them. Surrender them to the pound??? Also does she really want an entire bitch - blood when in season and entire dogs tryig to get into her yard. Also the increased cost of council registration for entire dogs. Just a few suggestions. If she has these ideas she doesn't care about the moral aspect so I wouldn't bother about that - just hit her hip-pocket.

I just had to google Violet - here she is in many lovely photos. http://www.gidaypoodles.com/violet.htm What a beautiful and talented dog she is. I hope it is ok to post the web page.

I have my bill in front of me. On one bill was three deaths - god it was a bad month. My beautiful black mastif * PTS due to cancer at a cost of $85. His buddy GSD cost $85 a few months previously. We brought both home to bury. The same month my two 14 day old goat kids (only a few kilos each) also died within one day of each other of an unknown cause. Saturday night, the first to go down was too far gone to try and save so she was PTS straight away - cost $50 but no consult fee. The next on Sunday night - we tried to save him and many drugs and two sleepless nights later I decided his little body could only take so much so PTS. The 3 hour consult cost $175, PTS not charged and the drugs were at cost at $162. Total $387. By my calculation it should have been closer to $800 or more. But I guess the vet couldn't see it in her to charge someone $800 for two dead baby goats.

Sorry maybe I am a little silly but when did this Dougal incident occur. I have been reading the thread since the start but I am confused. Did the original owner who posted at the start about Ned needing a new home due to being left at home too long without company already attempt to re-homne to these people with Dougal and then Ned went back to owner. Then Ned taken to pound, then DOL person get him out which didn't work out, then she surrendered to foster, then foster rehomed - which is where he is now. Or am I totally wrong. Not that it really matters but if I am confused so must others and I just would like to know the complete story.

I never lie to my daughter and something that others may disagree with is that we all look at the body, give him a last pat and bury the pet together. We don't hide anything. But my daughter lives on a farm and is very matter the fact about death even of her beloved friend Moose. Moose was a mastiff* who spent many hours with daughter from when she was a baby and he would lie next to her rocker. To following her around the farm. He died early this year and we buried him in the paddock. She says he is in heaven now and understands they never come back. When her pet chook, Buffy, died. I was in tears but she was hugging me saying 'but mum there are two more Buffies in the sheds lets go get one of those so you are not so sad'. So my advice is just be honest and let her be part of the funeral.

Can you just pick up the slack? For the first year or more of my babies life (she is now 6) I was emotionally and physically exhausted. I couldn't think about anything but protecting and caring for the baby. I think that hormonal change is an evolutionary advantage and most mammals exhibit it - care for your baby at the expense of everything else. My husband had no idea what I was going through. Five feeds throughout the night and caring for everything during the day. Living on a few rare hours sleep. I remember one time we had baby at a friends place and someone asked him if she slept through the night. He said yes - I was astounded as she was still waking at 9, 12, 3 and 6. He simply had no idea - but he did try. He still has no idea and does little of the parenting. But he is still a good dad - just not a mum. Sorry no insult intended to dads who are also mums - this is just how it is for my family. I'm sure if I died he could step up to the plate but unless that happened he will never have any idea how much I do. Sorry I am going on a bit - all I wanted to say is being a new mother is very hard work on so many levels and an extra burden of caring for family pets may be just too much. Not saying that is you - but could it be? Can you just slip her some slack and do the dogs. Set it up so she doesn't need to deal with them and yell at them. Help her without being condescending. Off my box now - just that your question really hit a nerve for me.

Don't do it . I see a big big problem. Looking at your picture every Tom Dick and Harry will say 'oh a mummy and baby, how cute'. Can you cope with that every time you go out with the pair. :laugh: