Mike Echo

So far it hasn't been a problem!

Love the webmasters - and I still use them, but I think true escape artists need extra care if they're cunning enough. My guys have had several escapes, even with the harnesses. First, the webbing that holds the metal lead clasp to the harness wore through after 6 months. This was spooky because there was no sign the webbing was wearing. The harness was taken to a clothing place who put a new, reinforced strap on. Six months later that wore though - again, despite daily inspection, there was no sign of fraying etc. The harness was then taken to a saddlery with instructions to make it bulletproof. A month after that - The alleged high-quality lead (bought after the cheaper lead broke) went 'pop' and let one dog escape. Turns out it's possible to twist the clasp of most leads a certain way and have them pop loose. My solution was a trip to Bunnings that resulted in a home-made lead (1t working load rope, spliced at both ends), attached to the harness via a 1t quicklink (intended for joining chains), then a 200kg rope from that going to the collar. I figure if they manage to escape from that, they deserve their freedom. The harnesses are great (no chance of slipping backwards imo) but the attachment to the leash is a weak point. Admittedly this is what a relaxed walk looks like.

Cheers Ranga! Altho that's his "bugger off, it's 10pm and I'm trying to sleep" face.

I get cold at night, but I'm not convinced my guy is!

Thanks again everyone who responded. I don't believe the breeder was negligent in any way, nor would I have expected anyone to pay vet bills more then the cost of the dog - I just wanted to get a feel for what most people thought. Cheers.

Believe me, to me she's family and not just a possession - I was talking in a legal sense (my understanding is animals are considered property). I contacted the breeder for advice within a few days of becoming aware of the issue. They were kept in the loop the whole time, X-rays were exchanged, and the breeder agreed the specialists were people who knew what they were doing. If a surgeon who has spent a few decades specializing in similar cases tells me my pet needs surgery, she'll get it. There is no way it could have been rectified for under the cost of the pup. Again I'm sorry for being vague. Thanks for your replies! e: The breeder is aware is the surgery price. So far I haven't asked for any compensation nor has any been offered.

Hi all, Sorry in advance for not going into detail - I don't want to go into specifics for privacy reasons. I have a <1 year old dog who had just required ~4k in surgery due to something not growing right. The specialist really knew their stuff, and confirmed the issue was extremely likely to be genetic. The actual problem is uncommon in the breed and would have resulted in a terrible quality of life if untreated. The pup came from a registered breeder in Qld. Is the breeder obliged to refund some or all of the cost of the pup (~$1k)? I don't want to sound heartless, but if I bought say a laptop for that kind of money and it failed in under a year a statutory warranty would apply. Please note I want what's best for the dog (and to keep her) which is why I paid the cost of the surgery in a heartbeat. I'm just interested in seeing if the breeder is legally or ethically obliged to assist. Best regards,