Salukifan

I think you might reasonably ask for a full explanation in writing. This simply should NEVER happen.

OMG. How devastating.

Ditto. They have a dog door but don't spend much time outside during the day.

Nothing unsual about it. As the others have said, you're living with an opportunistic scavenger who's learned that bin and bench surfing brings rewards. He'll keep on doing it now. Many of us also live with this. Yep, all defrosting occurs in the microwave, bins live in cupboards and you learn not to leave food where they can get it. Dogs don't have to be hungry or diet deficient to do it either. Just don't ask what some dogs have managed to score on raids. One Whippet at my place got a steak off a BBQ surrounded by people and no one even noticed! Just thank the heavens he hasnt' yet learned to open cupboards or the fridge - some dogs do!

Mwa ha ha. He's black. And he's in Victoria. :)

Greyhound pups from racing breeders do become available from time to time. Mismating results that can't be registered can't race. That's one example. Injury is another reason. Sir WJ knows of a 7 week old looking for a home at the moment!!

Sorry, I got a mental image of you scratching a large muscly tattooed guy behind the ears and him flopping down on the ground like dogs do... :laugh: He wasn't unattractive :cool:

I've certainly approached strangers to ask about their dogs. Last time it was was a heavily tattoed and muscled guy who had a Boerbel. I asked him what the dog's breeding was. And yes, I got a pat too. :) Of the dog that is.

Which judges would those be? The Allbreeds judges with no deep knowledge of the breed? The group specialists? the breed specialists? The international judges? All can put up quite different dogs. I know plenty of breeders who like to win but very few breeders dogs do it consistently. Most breeders I know breed what they consider to be a 'good dog" nby their interpretation of the standard, using pedigrees as a basis and take the wins as they come. I can think of highly awarded dogs that have never produced their equal in the whelping box. Breeding based solely on what wins is a slow road to oblivion from where I sit.

Stack em side on :)

Definitely. Sure beats the possible alternative.

That assumes, of course, that the rescue knows of a reputable rescue in the adopters area. That won't always be the case. Korrigan: All I can say Korrigan is I sincerely hope you're joking. How someone considering adopting a rescue dog could simply trot down to the markets or a pet shop and buy one seems incongruous to me. I agree, I think you're taking the knock back too hard. I appreciate that you thought you'd be able to offer the ideal home to this pup but sadly, the rescue didn't agree. There are plenty of other rescues out there and perhaps a less 'special needs' dog would be more confidently adopted out of the rescue's immediate area.

My top family recommends are: Pointer Whippet Staffordshire Bull Terrier Beagle If trainability is an issue, I'd probably knock out the Beagle but what to they actually want to train the dog to do? I honestly don't think a people oriented dog is going to be happy watching family life through the back windows but if they can be a bit flexible about that, any of the aforementioned breeds is worth a look.

I don't really have a favourite colour - it depends on the breed. I'd love one day to own a solid white Whippet (with dark pigment) but they aren't common.

First impression: quite "terrier like". Spunky, animated and dare I say it..... a tad noisy. The only one I know well is a pretty tough little guy - not a dog for someone who's not prepared to give it boundaries or plenty of stimulation.

If you want a Main Register female, odds are you don't just want it as a pet. Selling to prospective breeder/show homes is a whole new ball game. The first dog I bought was a Miniature Poodle - one of the most puppy farmed breeds around. I answered the questions I was asked honestly but it wasn't that hard.

Given that it was 15.5 years ago, I don't honestly remember too well. I think the questions related to what kind of home I was offering and that I understood the coat care requirements of a poodle. I travelled to the breeder's home and spent a couple of hours there.

Howard likes chickens in the worst way. I have absolutely no doubt he'd kill one given any chance.

Strangely, quite a few novice dog owners manage to pull it off. I was one of them.

Zoom Groom for the Whippets. I follow up with a Chris Christensen ionic boar bristle brush. I also have a little goat hair brush for doing their faces. Doggy Man slickers for the poodles, with a fine/medium metal comb.

I'd suggest either a visit to a decent veterinary chiropractor or a visit to a veterinary neurologist. Or both. This needs to be taken out of the hands of a "GP" equivalent and needs specialist attention. Shedding can be a sign of stress. The portrait you paint is of a dog in chronic pain. Is she on any pain relief?

Tell that to pet dog owners I see struggling to control large, reactive bull breed mixes that they 'saved' from destruction. Dog ownership should be a pleasure, not a struggle. On my last visit to my local dog club awards day, I saw a number of such owners. They've bought the message, saved the dog and now, to their credit, they are sticking by an animal that causes them constant stress and worry when outside the home. And the pounds are full of such dogs - poorly bred inadequately socialised and frankly, unsuitable for many families. Yep there are some great dogs in pounds and there are quite a few that need a savvy owner and a hell of a lot of work. How does your average novice dog owner tell the difference and God forbid that someone actually bothers to temperament test - oh how evil and uncaring. *insert rolly eyes here*.

What breed are you after? What sort of home are you offering? There are some facets of particular breeds where some answers will get you turned down flat. No excuse for not responding though unless your emails are being sent to the spam folder straight off What is the title of your email? Something like "how much are your pups?" Won't entice breeders to read on.

No, educating those who care enough to learn is the answer. And making damn sure that for those who don't there are laws that control how dogs are bought and kept. No one has the right to have a breeder's pup. They have to satisfy the breeder that they will give it a good home. And some breeders have earned the right to be distrustful - the hard way. A prospective Whippet owner who expects the dog to behave just like a golden retriever has earned the initial distrust a breeder might display. If education won't work then "sorry but no" is all you've got.

Little heads up on privacy law. It doesn't apply to dogs. Period. A photo in a public place - just make sure you're not doing anything that breaches law or council regulations, breathe deeply and move on. Approaching to take the phone and delete the photo? Hello assault charges. Don't make a silly situation worse. The world is full of self important over zealous types - you won't change it. Just do what you have to to stay out of their crosshairs.