Flippy Dog

Thanks Brandiandwe I'm down around Nowra so would be about a three hour drive for you so I wouldn't expect that but thanks for the offer. My Boss used to take her dog in, she's got bully breeds and the dogs and resi's loved it. My Obie is a bit of a vacuum cleaner when there's food to be had, having said that, he's very food motivated so maybe I'll have to work on the wait and leave it commands and making sure he knows I've got the best food in the room :) I'll check out the Greys As Pets pages and see what info I can get. Thanks heaps again. At the least if I can start getting more variety in dogs coming through and work my way up to something more regular (all day long) it's a start. I'd love to take Obie all day but if I'm taking people on outings I can't leave him there or take him so I just don't. Thanks kc, I've still got you and Josie in the back of my mind to come visiting hehehe HMD I would love to have a Stan and a Maddie at work, love the stories about Stan, our kitchens have sliding doors that lock so unless he bench surfs all the way across the top our fridges would at least be safe hehe I've read the stories about the greys in aged care and I've seen the reactions from residents when a dog walks into the room, it's just beautiful :)

Hi kc, Yes, was thinking you and Josie would also have to be careful. I'm thinking the hospital would be less likely to have dropped pills as they tend to be taken under individual supervision whereas in a residential care facility they are handed to residents during meal times and it is easier for one to be dropped and not noticed. I'm trying to get my manager interested in getting more pet therapy happening than we currently have and she kinda pricked up her ears when I started talking greyhounds being less of a trip hazard, fairly placid from what I've heard having no experience whatsoever with them etc so I'm thinking the more info I can gather....the more chance of more pet therapy. One resident used to always have boxers and misses them dreadfully, I take my whippet and small white fluffy to visit and she lights up for Obie cause he's closer to boxer size than a swf. Even though the nose is nowhere near boxer like hahaha she still loves him. I know one facility has live in cats but I'm worried about security for them and not straying, where I work the fencing is not cat secure or swf secure :)

Hi all, Just a few questions for some direction on this topic, does anybody know which nursing homes in NSW have greyhounds actually living in them rather than going home each day with an owner. Is there a GAP Vic equivalent in NSW that I could quiz about greyhounds as live in therapy dogs? Does anybody around Nowra have a greyhound therapy dog that visits nursing homes? And lastly, has anyone who does pet therapy work with their dogs had any issues with their dog eating a dropped medication off the floor? I know that's a weird one but it s a potential risk for a therapy pet and accidents can happen, pills can be spilled and a resident may not even realise they have dropped one. This actual risk came up in discussions today when we were talking about live in pets for residents to care for and freaked me out as I take my whippet Obie to work sometimes and while he is always on lead with me and I supervise him closely as he is still young and boisterous, it's another thing to watch out for. Hope this is still in line with this topic, if not I am happy to be told to start a new one. Cheers :) Sorry, didn't realise this was in the news threads, did a search on greys and nursing homes and just assumed it was general topics.

Just a thought, do you possibly have a family member or very good friend with a station wagon who might swap cars with you for your trip? Then problem solved without needing to consider risks of your beautiful dogs in the caravan or the cost of actually buying a more suitable car? I just can't see your Basset laying across the kids laps for hours on end hehehe.

You might need to see how hot it gets inside the caravan when you are traveling, it's a fairly confined space and I'm thinking there might not be any airflow from outside, think how warm a car gets with a full load with all windows up and no air con. My horse float gets very warm and we don't have an enclosed rear.

May be able to assist with transport but not for nearly three weeks, kelpie cuddles, if you temp care her, my husband will be driving to Port Macquarie around the first Friday in April if that might help get her closer to any rescues up the coastline? Will also be driving to Canberra around Friday 21st March if anyone around Canberra is able to help her. Edited to add the local pound here is run by RSPCA and they have previously had litters to care for, the staff sometimes took orphaned litters home but I don't know how they operate at present. I hope she finds rescue before she falls into the wrong hands.

I must have the only whippet bed hog! Maybe he will develop manners as he gets older, he won't be one till April.

I voted hogs the bed and other. I let the two dogs sleep on the bed every second or third night but only when the OH is away working. Obie hogs the bed. Whether it's his back against you or his claws digging into your back as he dreams of chasing things. The 'other' thing he does is gets up waaayyyyy too early. He has an uncanny ability to start fidgeting exactly 20 minutes before the alarm every day, even though I change the alarm depending on the days activities. Little Pickle is a great bed sharer, she's a small white fluffy and only occasionally pants if it's hot or licks her feet sometimes. When they don't get to sleep with me they share a big crate and I think they also sleep better themselves in the crate. I know I do...

I used to fit my big rotti girl in the shower with me. Just this morning I had my small white fluffy and whippet in for their shower and we all fitted in a standard old style small shower. If you try the shower option for Hank, maybe have him in the bathroom on his mat when you're having a shower and get him used to the room. My whippet is not impressed with puddles or showers but he will go in the bathroom voluntarily...unless he sees me setting up for puppy showers...:). My border collie rarely has a bath, at seven years old she's probably had seven washes. She doesn't get smelly very often thankfully.

My mother is in Canberra. Her vet is now encouraging all dog owners to have six monthly check ups from ten months of age to pick up any potential health issues and regularly sends her letters reminding her she has not been in for the six monthly check ups on her very healthy active dog. Might be fair enough in some cases to do bi-annual checks but I have read their letter and it annoyed me. Yes, some pets require more frequent checks, yes, some owners like more frequent checks because they are not as pet savvy as others, yes, some people just have too much cash and not enough commonsense but the letter just wasn't right. It felt like they were simply trying to make more money in my opinion. I also wonder if they think my retired mother is an easy target being older, or maybe as a pet lover who has spent whatever was necessary on her little dog when needed, that she would just believe them that six monthly was necessary... I moved to the South Coast and I can say it is nice not getting the upsell anymore. Or the guilt trip they offer for free when you say no thanks to their upsell...

I've passed the info on to friends with a pedigree red and white BB that are not far from Sydney, he's entire though only about eight months old. I'll remind them to get in touch.

I'm glad it's only for beginners and once you pass beginners you can put it away and use flat collars if you prefer. Mind you, my pup at the time was more focused, or maybe it was me that was more focused. Not sure my whippet baby would accept it. Anyway, I've heard the club in Milton is very nice so maybe that's an alternative for Poodle Wrangler :)

The one at the show ground is the one I know of that require haltis for the first twelve week beginners classes. Their website also talks about it I think.

If you are around the JB area you can also consider the club in Milton, I don't know if they prefer their first time beginners to do the first twelve weeks in a halti like the club I think you are referring to in our area. I did the beginner class there but only for four weeks and they did a lot of talk about the halti and how to introduce it (much as above posts have explained). They also appeared open to individual peoples requests not to use it, for example the pug in the class and the teeny dog with such a teeny muzzle the black dog halti provided by the club was still too big :) My boy sort of accepted it but I was looking forward to not using it, personal preference. I'd done a little obedience with clubs in the past so while I'm no expert, at least I had the basics. I kind of assumed given that the beginners in my group were mostly first time puppy owners whose pups were very boisterous and largely had no training whatsoever, that the halti was a bit more for security as the grounds are not fenced. Oh, and it also clipped onto the flat collar so not sure how other styles are attached but I just assumed all must attached to the flat collar, specially given my boy scraped his off a number of times. Anyway, not for or against but I think the club are more flexible and hopefully you have had a good response to your request not to use it, or have already learned that Milton has a Sunday training session. Good luck.

Have PM'd you about a kennel to stay away from in the Nowra region.

I'm glad you are not sticking to just looking at their gorgeous blue colourings, the blue fawn wasn't really around in Australia when I first got into amstaffs, it's very pretty but I'm not sure if its just a washed out red or if they say blue fawn because as pups they had a little bit of a blue tinge, which is possible, my first girl as a blue brindle was quite blue as a baby but turned more red brindle as she grew and ended up a sort of very mottled brindle, very minimal striping on her coat. Good luck finding a baby and ask them everything you can thi of no matter if it seems rude or silly, you need to know everything no matter what breed you are looking at. The breeders comments about each other will be good too, some will happily give positive comments on others and to me that says something about their own reputation if they are not there to just criticise others and see if they will tell you the faults they see in their own dogs so you can see how that compares with your thoughts on what they should look like, there is so much variation in them. Have fun.

If you read this whole thread the breeders and longer term owners have indicated what you need to check for and ask about. All I can really offer is to do your homework.. Research, research and then research some more.. Thanks for the reply. As the breeders are far away it is hard to tell through photos. I did read the info on the front page but would love to know if people know top tier breeders which i will then study. But i must of missed some information in this thread i will read all the thread and hopefully some of that information will help me in my quest. I dont rush buy i like learning and getting advice from people with knowledge to eventually make the right choice. After all, this is a friend for life. I think with so many people just breeding to make money (not caring what dog they breed to what bitch and ending up with pups that have health or behavioural issues), it pays to be extra vigilant in searching for a pup - more so with the bigger stronger dogs because you want them to be the best they can be. I don't have any real experience with American Staffords but they are glorious dogs to look at. Go to dog shows in your area and talk to breeders and show people about the breed you are interested in. They usually are the best place to start - you will see dogs from certain lines and you will see a look that appeals to you more than another. Same with temperament - some are more 'game' and some more 'chilled out'. Good luck - they really are a gorgeous breed of dog. Hi M United I agree with Staffyluv, there is so much to research and plan and decide and especially with a breed that seems to have variations... You will see breeders on DOL advertising all sorts of conformation types that may or may not really be what you think. Talk to breeders in several states, if you are in NSW also talk to QLD and Vic breeders as freighting isn't that expensive and if you are going to get it right and have a lifelong best buddy then definitely spend the money, even WA freight won't be as bad as the wrong pup. It took me nearly two years to find my last puppy :D But he was worth it. I'm more than happy to talk to you about more specific things to ask about and look for and even which breeders I found good to talk to. I don't want to be naming breeders on here as I don't think you are supposed to whether I want to be positive or negative so let me know if I can offer many suggestions/ideas on how to find the right puppy. Most of all, think about the main reason for choosing an Amstaff. They are awesome dogs but you have to remember that they are very strong dogs and they can be so switched on to you so really know what your plans are. I think the biggest downside can be that people are fearful of a big strong muscular breed so it can be a challenge in lots of situations. I walked my two girls on lead, never off due to loose dogs, and they got attacked by a teeny tiny dog that was off lead, imagine the reactions if my girls had reacted differently and not been beautifully behaved. That sort of reaction can prove a challenge. As Staffyluv said, go to some shows, take a long time, watch, ask questions, get opinions from breeders on other breeders that do and don't have their lines. once you have been to a few shows you might see more blue than you ever thought possible hehehe. I love the blue if it is a really strong deep blue, not the washed out paler diluted blues even though they are still pretty. The deeper blues perhaps have less risk of health issues but try and focus on temperament then conformation and colour last, if you end up with a blue it's a bonus :D My first girl was a blue brindle, so she had the fawn through her but was darker than the blue fawns you see these days and since then I've ended up falling for the reds with gorgeous white markings :D at the end of the day, you want to just do your homework and take your time. Feel free to pm me if I can help more.

Hi GT I started out having never shown a dog in my life and with no local breeders to go to for advice, In fact, I was the only one for a long time with an Amstaff! I was able to enter shows and learn from others. the judges were nice to me and most of the other terrier show people were great offering advice and teaching me, The breeder of your puppy may have even sold a pup to somebody not far from you who shows and would be happy to have your company and show you around. Even go and watch a show while you wait for your puppy to arrive. I also remember the kennel clubs used to host show classes which were great because it was anyone and everyone asking everything. First up though, talk to your breeder and see if they can put you I touch with local Amstaff exhibitors. Happy to answer more specific questions for you too. Have you joined your state kennel association? That's pretty much where you will get most of the how to's and then for tips watch others, then you will need to look at the calendar of events, learn to enter you puppy in the correct age and sex class etc. Not too hard after you have put in your first entry :D Good luck and have fun.

I had a female rottie hip, elbow and eye tested at the Kippax Vets in Canberra a few years ago now. Not sure if its the same eye test these days, back then it was simply the vet ticking off yes or no on the form for a few different questions about the eyes. Hips and elbows was x-rays under anaesthetic and the expensive bit. That cost about $600 and was around three years ago, not cheap but worth it depending on why you need it done. Kippax and Canberra Vet Hospital I believe are linked with each other. I think I had PennHp done but they were in the process of being trained or approved (whatever it was) for the newer testing which I assume is the AVA espinay2 mentions. Hope you have found a vet already :)

I haven't looked at it yet but the Shoalhaven Council website is at www.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au Saw the announcement in our local community newsletter, open for people to complete online until 1 March 2013. Council is undertaking a review of its Access Areas for Dogs Policy to do with public domain areas and off-leash areas in the Shoalhaven. I am not in anyway linked to Council, just thought some people may be interested.

Hahaha, I love both breeds, the AST can definitely be bouncy, just like his smaller cousin. I didn't take your post the wrong way but its easy on here to be read with the wrong tone isn't it. :) I always loved the SBT but wanted a bigger dog, then I discovered the AST back in the 90's and fell in love.

Hi Tiara I always been led to believe that the temperament and personalities of the AST and the SBT should have been similar. For everything I have read about them and what I've observed with my own AST's it was true but I have seen that more serious look you are talking about. It maybe comes down to how they are raised, that in every breed you get variations in temperament and personality but I think the AST should have a loving friendly personality, very much like we expect in the SBT. The AST isn't quite the goofball that the SBT's I've known have been, hehehe maybe cause they are taller they don't need to bounce around for attention, they can just command it. You have me thinking though, the AST is very comfortable making and holding eye contact, is the SBT the same? I've never paid attention to their eye contact. I have a border collie who cannot cope with eye contact for even a split second so maybe that makes the AST appear more serious? Just a thought, or three :) I'm certainly no expert.

I've also been reporting the ads and I have noticed a lot of one off ads for pups such as English Bulldogs where the advertiser lists a gorgeous photo of the purebred pup then you scroll down and the sellers other ads are shown, another two English Bulldogs, in total, three pups in three different towns and states. I don't know if these are legit ads but an English Bulldog purebred for $420 sounds too good to be true, I've also seen them list Frenchies, Bostons and a few others, forget what. I first noticed the ads because pups were underage...needless to say, they are now advertised as eight weeks... There are also the ads where they have their email scrawled across the photo. And I reported a litter of docked Rottweiler pups, that was sad, maybe I should have reported to somebody first, I don't know. Again, I don't know if the English Bulldog ads are legit, just feel wrong.

Hi Maree, Are you able to repost a resized picture and provide any more info about her? Does she look like a cross or likely to be a small greyhound? How has she come to need a home, eg from a pound or not built right to race? Does she need a foster or temporary home to start with? Sorry for all the questions. Thanks

That's very true, sorry, what I was wanting to point out was just that papers don't mean the dog is clear :)