Jed

Sorry to hear you are going through this, Danielle. It's never pleasant. Unfortunately, I've had to make this decision, and sometimes, it isn't all that easy. I have some criteria that I use. If the dog does not eat for 24 hours, or vomits after eating, I consider the options very carefully. Some dogs are very stoic, and some do not show pain. You said If she was my dog, I'd see how she is in 24 hours, and make a decision based on that. She also may be having intermittent pain or discomfort, which is preventing her eating, but giving her respite from time to time - eg, to chase the car. It's always a hard decision made harder by us never wanting to get it wrong. And our judgment is often clouded by emotion, which makes it even more difficult. Edited to add - from your post, I think you are approaching it in the correct manner. And I certainly feel guilt - is this "too soon" or "too late" - should I wait or should I not? I must confess, I am a bit surer now of whether the decision I make is correct - but that's after doing it much more often that I ever wished for, or thought I would...but that's the fault of a life with dogs, I guess. Good luck and be happy with the choice you make. I hope someone will be as kind to me when my life is no longer joyful.

Apologies - I forgot APBT were legal in the two Australian territories. There is no BSL.

Under the COE of dogsqld, members are already doing this. We are required to comply with a code of practice, do the paperwork, and maintain records in a bound book. So, are DogsQld members exempt from this new law, and particularly the $369 triannual fee because they are already doing this? I think only the most enthusiastic of exhibitors will be prepared to do this, but only under duress. What does DogsQld say? Hope they are saying something, or the 66,000 dogs registered Australia wide by the state CCs will be reduced to 54,000 with few dogs registered in Qld. The AWL has already shown itself to have the ideals of PETA in the formulation of regulations to do with dog breeding. Funny thing is, the RSPA and government already has the means to close or severely curtail puppy farms. I don't think this is about puppy farms, this is about reducing puppy numbers. Maybe the government isn't aware yet, but that is what it will do. Would have to wonder who, apart from AWL, advises them?

So sorry about Goldie, Greytmate. When they go, there is always a huge hole, and Goldie left an enormous one. May your heart heal. Puppy Sniffer - when I read your second last post, I thought Ricky would be with you for a while yet. Thinking of you.

Hope all went well, Greytmate. PS and lovemymutts. Depending on what is wrong with dogs, in the last few days, they will follow you closely, and want to go everywhere with you. I believe they do know. I think everyone else knows too. For them it is simply a step from this life to the other, and I think they know about the other life - for us it is often major trauma. And we miss them. That is normal. If we are satisfied that we did our best, we feel better. Kirty, maybe get another opinion on the Dane? In most cases, you know whether your pet is in pain ... provided you have had some experience .. you have had.

My breed is the boxer - well, my main one. They are a companion/guard dog. I have had many of them over many years. Not one has ever failed to step up to the plate to protect me or mine when the occasion arose. I have taken them to horse shows, and had all my expensive gear guarded, they have backed off unsavoury people, one went outside and attacked prowler and drove him off ahd chased off dingoes or wild dogs intent on attacking me The answer is "yes" every single time.

This is a FANTASTIC idea. Most byb who breed a litter or two a year in their lounge would mostly be happy but the puppy farmers ..... I think not, Yep. Great idea. don't think it is the conplete answer, but it is part of the whole answer. Just keep nibbing away at it.

For me, eagerly eating ,being happy, having some mobility is important. Things such as continence are unimportant (I hope someone doesn't pt me to sleep when I am incontinent). You can see when they are in pain. The ones I have had which died of cancer went down hill suddenly, and there was no decision to be made - it made itself. The ones who were old, and perhaps in heart failure were more difficult. Let your vet be your guide. I thought my two well loved 14 year olds were going to the bridge, my vet says otherwise, and indeed, they continue to be happy. I do truly believe that dogs to go to the Rainbow Bridge, and I do truly believe someone they know comes for them. Thinking about that helps. My dogs which perished in the fire were so peaceful I can only think someone came for them and they gently went to their other life, where they all wait for me. We miss our dogs, but they step through a doorway to another life. It is our responsibility to open the door for them and be happy for them. The most difficult and best thing we ever do for them. A few years ago, my 14.5 year old Cavalier crossed the bridge This is her dairy. I hope it gives you comfort We are all thinking of you, Puppy Sniffer

Got Nothin Registering APBT in Australia is illegal, as breeding the dogs is illegal. It is unlikely that USA registries would care, and would be prepred to register the dogs. Problem is tht anyone who is registering them is flaunting themselves as breaking the law and it is more than possible that someone from the council will be around to seize the dogs, put them down, and prosecute the people who are breeding them. Councils can pick up names and addresses from ads, so anyone advertising is actually inviting people to call to seize the dogs. I often think those advertising do not know about bans/ Surely not? Surely they are simply disobeying the law? As the current legislation stands, any Australian registry which was prepared to register APBT would also be flaunting the law, and could find themselves with all records seized, as the search for illegally bred and registered dogs continued. And perhaps in deep legal s##t with the government The APBT club in Aust. will do none of these things, because they behave legally and honourably.

What everyone else said - like to add that peafowl and guinea fowl really do help, they are supposed to kill and eat the baby snakes, and the vibrations from them walking around keeps the snakes away. I don't believe the second, but they do eat baby snakes. Only keep fowl if you like them though. They also eat ticks. Kookaburras eat snakes too, so encourage them IMHO, cats are excellent for snakes. I like cats, and we always had 6 odd on the property. They took care of rodents (except in the plagues), and they were marvellous on small snakes. One of the boys would chase and kill them up to about 1/2 metre. After that, unless they are very foolish, they leave them alone. Except the Siamese, but that's another story. Snake 1, Siamese 0. I think the cats account for so many baby snakes, fewer grow up ... which is good!! My cat alerted me to a 3m snake in the dining room one night .... she wasn't going near it, but she was watching it like a hawk. The snake man came and got it. Ours were house cats, and some were hunters some, not. They didn't catch many birds - if any. There were a couple of superb wren families living in the garden, heaps of finch nests in the huge lemon tree on the front lawn, and cats sunning themselves on the steps. They tend to go for things on the ground, rather than flying things. A few of the younger ones wanted to kill birds, so they wore bells until they stopped. But all were house cats and well fed, and they all seemed to be on the job with snakes. The one which brought a 30cm brown snake into the lounge and let it go wasn't too popular. Some people swear by the repellers, some not. I also found if stock had access to the house-yard, they seemed to keep the snakes down -- I suppose there ARE vibrations from animals which the snakes sense. When we moved the stock away, we had more snakes. I think, if the snakes are endemic, you are justified in using the fruit tree mesh. Check it twice daily, ensure the dogs can't reach it, because the trapped snakes will bite. I have snakes where I live -- they stay around the creek, so when I go to the creek (infrequently) I make a lot of noise, and they keep out of the way. And that is how it should be, but I've seen lots of aggro ones around past houses, lost a pony, a couple of cats, and two dogs to snakes, so if they want to live where I live with the pets, it's war!!

The rules state that the birth date is the date on which the first pup was born. I had a New Year's Day litter a few years ago. No fudgin' either. Born from 7am on. Such a good girl to consider my beauty sleep. But really --- who is to know what you do if one is born on one date, and the rest on another? No one except you.

For rippers and diggers, you can use that strong cardboard from the bottom of fruit boxes - the shaped cardboard to hold individual fruits in place. Lots of hills and valleys. You can usually find it at the fruiterers - but you may have to dig through the discarded cartons to find it. Put blankets or whatever on top of it, and tuck on or safety pin well, depending on what your set up is --- it's easy enough to obtain, and free, so you can throw it out. For really determined diggers you can sometimes find those rolled up material snake things people put under the bottom of doors - strategically place them either under, or on top of the bedding. Don't get the ones filled with sand though I don't think it is heredity either. Who does decide whether things are hereditary or not? They are often wrong, imh!

Yes, I'm well aware of this However is there a breed registery for restricted breeds in Australia though with the current BSL laws, being that (according to most state laws) they cannot legally be bred, sold or aquired? American Pit Bull Terriers have their own registry in America. Most of the dogs, even if born and bred in Australia, are registered with that registry. APBT owners have never been interested in the ANKC as a registry, the APBT registry in America began years before. There are also 3 major registries in the USA - 2 are pretty dogdy though - but APBT can be registered there in different registries. abed It is possible. There are dodgy people out there. I doubt that it is widespread, as most Amstaff breeders are aware of the multitude of problems this could cause all Amstaffs. It's easy enough to tell lies to breeders, and it's easy enough to deal with breeders who don't care. If this practice is ever proved, I think we can kiss Amstaffs goodbye, they will be banned in a nano second by the government.

Ill bred, poorly conceived, badly raised, shockingly behaved little grub. A pox on him and his house.

In some places (particularly some of the places recently flooded), there is nowhere to go by car - the roads are cut, there is little or no high ground that you can reach, so you can only sit where you are, hoping for the best, or climb onto the roof. Evacuation plans wont work. Everyone is in the same boat (excuse the pun) with nowhere to go. So, that leaves SES, police, army etc and helicopters to airlift you out. You would have to leave well before a flood situation arose - and take a gamble that there would be flooding - and there may not be. I wouldn't leave my dogs either.

Great dogs! Need more photos as she grows.

geo, have you ever seen pitbull pups from fighting lines? I have only seen 2 litters - 1 we suspected were from pitbull fighting lines, and they were ripping chunks out of each other at 7 weeks. The other litter were definitely pit bulls (according to the owner) and they were very nasty too. I don't think pitbulls should be banned, but on the other hand, people ought not to be breeding particularly for dog aggression, and some people are. Sometimes I think perhaps pitbulls should be banned for the small % of them which are dog aggressive, but I don't think that is the answer. It's easy enough to make any breed dog aggressive, if the breeder knows what they are doing.

Oh, Kinsella, when I want to flog more, I simply go out and steal them - of course, they buy more from me!! LOL, I llike your work I am not so pleased for myself only - that is what I breed for - dogs which will be as healthy possible for as long as possible I am pleased for registered breeders, who were so badly done by PDE, and although they, and I refuted the allegations made on PDE, we weren't believed. And I like happy customers.

I haven't seen her since July, I understand she is ok. the new carers were astonished, vet says whelping next week, let you know My two old girls are 14 Mita, both got murmurs. Their friend died last year at 13.5 from a stroke, no murmur. The majority of registered cavs do ok, I think but nothing is foolproof.

I found this on my facebook page today. Things have not been too tikety boo lately, and I just found that Grace, unhealth tested maiden Cavalier, is whelping in 1 week, according to the vet, sire of the pups unknown, so this really cheered me up. I haven't heard from this lady for about 9 years/ One of those puppy buyers who is an excellent home, and then drops under the radar, and you lose touch. This was the message ... names have been deleted So he is still living, and probably in good health - he is now 10+. How pleased am I? Another one to make it to double figures. No SM, probably no MVD, no LP, no nothing. Yippee

There are toy dogs doing jumping and agility, there are non earth dogs doing earth work. There are very unlikely dogs with tracking titles. What is a "professional" in the world of sheep? Someone with a few hundred thousand acres, and ten thousand sheep? That someone bought a Shih Tzu for a pet. The Shih Tzu shouted "whoopee" when he saw the sheep -and as s00n as he was old enough, he became the No. 1 yard dog - he herds sheep, he will stare down a sheep, he will bite sheep, he will back sheep. He can't work in the paddock, he can't run fast enough. He was born with the instinct. No one has any idea why. He didn't need much training, I think he picked it up watching. People and dogs who want to have a go should be given a chance. To the OP - a lot of professional traillers start their pups on chooks. If the pup does a good job with the chooks, they try him with sheep when he is bigger. You could do that too. Good luck. and I understand what people who trial are saying - but open your minds - and give your fellow dog owners a go. Takes but a second. If the dog is good, well done, if it is no good, well, it was a bit of a waste, but the owner is satisfied then.

They'fe cute, it'smeg. Love the red ones. Red ones go faster.

So sorry dogbesotted - does the pound have any idea what they might have, so you can take precautions? that is the scary thing. It might not be parvo, and your dogs, being well, may not be at risk. I had a poodle at home with parvo - I nearly wet myself in fear ... no one got anything. And of course, no one had been vac since 14 months - that was our first test of the new vac protocol. I was excreting house building materials (if you know what I mean)!! Hope all is well with all the maremma kids. Run free over the bridge, Comet, gone home at last.

Thanks Karly. When I woke up, I thought - very calmly - "oh the house is on fire, better go and see how bad it is". And stayed calm, which I fear is a sign of madness!!

I'll put my hand up too. It is doubtful that you will get a lot of help at obedience - unless you find a trainer who has experience with deaf dogs, or is very open minded. I'd ask though. First trick is to keep the dog's attention on you. Difficult with a pup - use touch, get the pup to look at you, reward. Do it often, lots of rewards. Then teach it to come. You can use the vibration on the floor to get the dog's attention. EVERY single time you get her attention, reward and praise. Remember to smile. I never realised they know when you are smiling, but my deaf dog used to smile back when I smiled at him - every time. A smile was as good as a treat to him. At first I thought it was an accident - nope, he deliberately smiled if I smiled at him. Sometimes, he'd smile first, and if I didn't smile back, he would be dejected. Use your hands to pat and stroke. Often Teach all the usual commands by signal. I used to slap my leg for come. A laser pointer is a good idea. I used a torch at night - shone it on the boy, and he knew that was come. When he was off lead, he would regularly look at me for the signal to come. He was a fantastic dog - he was wasted not doing obedience, so keen and happy to please. A really fantastic dog. Edited to add - no negative training, unless she does something absolutely outrageous and not training related. Catching her eating your curtains is probably one. Other thing is, don't feel sorry for her. If you are a deaf dog, you have no idea that other dogs can hear, so you don't worry about being deaf. And the more trained a deaf dog is, the happier he is.