Salukifan

Jesus.

Policing? Hey, Im not the person who used the word "trolling" about anothers' post, now am I? You know I reckon if people focussed more on the damage some dogs do and less on the reasons for the attacks that happen, we'd have safer communities. A bite is a bite, An attack is an attack (as happened to Aloysha last night). For the most part, from where I sit, analysing the "whys" of such incidents doesn't make the dogs safer. And I'm as guilty of that analysing as anyone. Some folk may not have a problem with a dog that will deglove the face of an elderly little dog. I'm not among their number. If you want to own the kind of dog that will do this then you need to house it responsibly. To be quite frank why anyone gives their dog access to the front fence of their property beats the hell out of me. People come through gates, dogs are easy targets for theft., unwelcome behaviours such as barking and fence rushing passers by abound. And as for the bull breed issue? I've said time and time again that the biggest threat to the ownership of bull breeds comes from the irresponsible within their own ranks. I feel sorry for those who love these dog and have to deal with the fall out from people who don't manage them so that they don't become involved in incidents like this.

I have seen a young dog that had one put on and then no attention paid - It became embedded in the dog's neck. Mind you, i've seen a nylon puppy collar do the same.

Why can't they put the dog outside when she's got food? Not beyond the realms of possiblity that she will be at risk from the dog before this is over.

Option 1 is to try and talk to the family... explain how serious the attack was and offer some suggestions about management. You have the background for that. But if they fail to grasp the gravity of what happened, I'd say a report is the best way to prevent a really serious incident. You weren't the only person at risk tonight.

It seems sympathy for old poodles who meet traumatic ends is limited Questions about what role the owner's actions might have played in the attack does not have a thing to do with sympathy for the poodle. Comments like the ones above are counter-productive to any conversation that isn't "how sad, terrible bull breed and poor poodle" and to be blunt, trollish. Because I have SUCH a record for trolling behaviour. I"m sorry but describing such an incident as "very unfortunate" is one hell of an understatement from where I sit. And I never said a damn thing about the other dog or its breed. God forbid any of us have to go through something like that as owners.... let alone our dogs. 18 years old is a very senior dog. Limited vision, probably limited hearing.... wouldn't have known what hit it poor thing.

Jebus Dog meant business Aloysha.... it's another incident waiting to happen. Report it - I know you feel for the teens but the next person might not react as well as you did. Are there holes in your cardigan? You OK? I'd need a stiff drink after that.

It seems sympathy for old poodles who meet traumatic ends is limited

Always harder for me when it's old dogs that are attacked and poodles harder again. What a tragedy for dog and owner. I hate to imagine the images that will haunt that little dog's owner now.

In their beds? Not much Under the cushions on my lounge... a maggot infested dead rat! Under MY bed.... a beheaded bird

If you were using one in a line up behind me, I'd probably not be too thrilled. I really don't need my dog trying to turn around while he's being judged. For individual judging? Fill your boots.

For a dying dog there are no answers and only one question - "is today the day?". I have two 15 year old dogs and one 13 year old. I know that now they are on borrowed time. Hard times ahead but the only consolation is that they have lived long and happy lives. When the time comes for each of them, I will do right by them and ease them from this world. I won't expect or even seek words of support because for me, nothing will help. We all have our ways of dealing with the loss of a beloved pet.

I don't recall anyone saying that they didn't want it to happen but rather that they didn't necessarily think it was helpful. Please remember also that this forum has had many of tales of sadness and that after a while, you run out of kind things to say. After 10 years of membership I have been supportive in so many threads, that quite frankly, I don't always feel I have anything left to give. Have you got any idea how many hundreds of threads of tragedy and loss there have been here over the years? And of course, when you do it in real life and tragic things happen to people with dogs that you know, sometime you're all "supportived" out from time to time. So please don't blame people for not being as supportive as you'd like - sometimes it's not about you and your thread quite so much as others not feeling that they have anything to give.

Or that finding out more about that dog and how it was campaigned might give you some ideas as to how to do it with a Maremma. There is also the unpalatable fact that some breeds are simply "showier" than others - they have presence, they show their arses off and they have a movement style and are presented in a way that makes them stand out in Group and Specials line ups.

Sometimes you only get the responses you ask for. If you ask for specific advice, sometimes people will not respond if they have nothing concrete to offer. Few vets here or people who feel qualified to offer advice on managing what is, essentially a life ending condition. I have a dog here experiencing the early stages of renal failure. What can I say? It sucks. You manage as your vet advises and hope for a slow progress to the condition. What can I advise others in this position? I had nothing that would help a dog in the end stages of kidney disease. So that's what I posted - nothing.

How many World Class Champion Maremmas have been imported to or used to sire or whelp dogs now in this country? In many breeds, the existence of top quality dogs in one country does not mean that dogs of the same quality are in another country and that goes for a range of breeds. I made this point earlier. We have not kept pace with the Italians and their breeding programs. But we also face the disadvantage of not being in Europe and having exposure to so many Internationals. The question about the stock brought to Australia over the past decades and the quality of our breeding also arises. Colloquially, it is known that the entrepeneurs got hold of them and bred anything with anything, and it still goes on today. Then it seems to me Tralee that if you want Maremmas to be as successful in the show ring here as they are overseas, you need to do what every other importer/exhibitor/promoter of a less popular breed does to get them considered for the top awards: Import the best winning show dogs you can find/afford from the best lines - a dog and a bitch would be a good idea. Promote them in all the show magazines Put them on the end of a lead of a cracking handler and take them wherever international judges familiar with the breed are. Royal shows are a must. Follow up with imported semen and potentially a few more top quality dogs that can form the basis of a good breeding program Place pups in experienced (both with LSG and showing) homes and get the line out there. Share your dream and your line with others of the same view. I can name several now highly competitive and internationally recognized breeds here that owe their current recognition to the hard work, and financial commitment of one or a few people. You might want to think that you could buy a locally bred pup and crack it at Ag show after Ag show building a ground swell of recognition but frankly I doubt it will happen.

How many World Class Champion Maremmas have been imported to or used to sire or whelp dogs now in this country? In many breeds, the existence of top quality dogs in one country does not mean that dogs of the same quality are in another country and that goes for a range of breeds.

My other concern is how the advice of a vet (qualifications?)on behavioural issues has led to a diagnosis of 'separation anxiety'. in a 10 week old pup, a single incident IMO really shouldn't be having any diagnosis/prescription reached. For a pup of this age, my understanding is that separation anxiety would be most unlikely and that owner behaviour can be a significant component in its development. There are other potential explanations for such behaviour, one of which is that this pup simply had a major league tantrum/hissy fit. Chemcials should be the option of last resort IMO, not dispensed to to baby puppies at the drop of a hat. I'd be taking a step back and accustoming the pup to periods of time alone before treating him with any chemical. No one knows for sure what Valerian's effect is on a developing brain but I can tell you that a snappy Google suggests it not be used on pregnant bitches. One of the problems of herbal remedies is that they sometimes aren't tested as thoroughly as more traditional medicines. "Herbal" is not a synonym for "safe".

Why? Because by the time your dog is demonstrating symptoms of skeletal related issues the ability to 'fix' them may be limited or non-existant. Think of it as using chiropracty to prevent issues, rather than cure them. Every single one of my dogs sees the chiro monthly. That level of care is described as 'optimal' by those who believe in chiropracty because regular, minor skeletal adjustments prevent major misalignments in bones that can see stress placed on muscles and ligaments and may delay the onset of age related issues such as arthritis or spondylosis of joints. If you wanted a living example of a regularly chiropracted dog vs one that has never seen treatment you could compare my 15 year old poodle boy to his six month younger half brother. Ted (my boy) can still run, jump and moves pretty freely. His brother can no longer jump up the smallest height and is basically as stiff as a board. Certainly there would be other issues involved but basically IMO a skeletal system kept aligned lasts longer. Issues such as chronic anal gland infections and ruptured ACLs can be prevented on occasions by such treatments.

The red head. It looks really sore and there is blood all over the house, but isn't bothering her much. Oh, Howie sends get well kisses One of the poods did this a few years back... bloody paw marks up over the lounge etc. Ended up bandaged for a week or so as it was pretty deep.

1. Rest the dog. Whatever is going on, it won't be improved by exercise. 2. If its not a pain response and he is simply 'nursing' it, I'd immediately be concerned about a ACL tear. Option B is a patella injury. 3. Hamish is an excellent vet. Start there and get a diagnosis. Chiro won't help a torn ligament BUT it can help prevent such an injury becoming chronic.

Betadine. Cotton pad and some vet wrap. Which of the supermodels is injured?

If the general tone of successive emails was cost focussed and specifically cost reduction focussed, I'd probably be concerned too. I'd be wondering what other corners you were going to cut financially with the puppy once it got to you. Pick up the phone. You don't get tone or two way conversation via email sadly.

Perhaps first separation from last littermate and Mum on the same day was too much? I'd be putting him back with Mum and working on building his level of interaction and focus on you. I would also be working on physical separation from Mum while he can still see her (eg. sleeping in a crate in the same room) What he needs is to learn coping skills, not to have the problem dealt with chemically IMO He also needs to be kept busy mentally.

More than that. He could (should?) be prosecuted for blatantly neglecting a dog's basic needs. Poor little dog must have been in agony. I'm thinking about doing that. I'll give the RSPCA a call but not sure they can do much on hearsay and vets have confidentiality so not sure they could do anything unless they had to or wanted to. I never knew vets had to keep animal cases confidential. I didnt think they would, especially from the RSPCA. I know the vets have to call the RSPCA if they dont think the animal belongs to the person who brings it in. I would have thought it would be the same if they think an animal is being mistreated. If people thought taking their abused, mistreated or neglected animal to the vet would automatically result in the RSPCA being summoned, what do you think they'd do with the animal? Vets are in a "damned if you do, dammed if you don't" postion. I say its better that an animal gets treatment than being left without it due to fear of RSPCA involvement. Perhaps someone else can say whether or not vets have a mandatory duty to report animal abuse but I doubt it.