OutOfSightHound

Oh if it was only that easy we would just be able to pluck a breed off the shelf and mate them and make or remake the required breed. Not to mention that many of the breeds originally used to produce the now vulnerable breeds are themselves now extinct. It is that easy :) you don't need the orginal breeds. Chicken people have recreated a large number of breeds in Australia because they can't import birds anymore. All you need to know is temprement and phenotype and you can use what ever you like using the standard as your guide. Lots of cross bred terrier and bitzers out there in working terrier land that would be perfect for breed recreation. The Cochin Chicken is a great example as its from China and we can't import birds from there. http://www.brahmacochin.org/lancehicksmemorial.htm

It not just the numbers its about how many founders your breed had in the beginning and how many of thoses genes breed on. http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/evo101/IIID3Bottlenecks.shtml this little game explains it all and is a big part of the reason some of our breeds have such awful health problems and short life spans. Also new mutations are rarely helpful in genetic variation, statistically they are more likely to cause problems than be of benifit. So no mutations rarely help with new genetic material in a population. best option is outcrossing to as unrelated population as possible of another breed.

How small is too SmallHere is a link as to why that list should be even longer. I think we need to drastically change the way we breed dogs as closed stud books go against everything conservation biology and population genetics has to say about effective founding populations and population size. Just breeding more dogs doesn't help if the number of founders of the breed is extremely small. The rule was 50/500, but thats recently been reviewed to 500/5000 This means to have a viable population you need 500 unrelated founders and a population that doesn't sink below 5000. It also means that each member has to breed randomly and equally. something that doesn't happen in dog breeding within KC's. Here is a analysis done on the Afghan hound breed. Its not a peachy outlook for a breed less than 100 years old (and I mean as a KC breed not as a Landrace population). Its effective founding population size is 8 just 4 about tollers and way below the old 50 and the new 500 rule. Afghan Hound population analysis

As far as I'm aware the afghan club of NSW does lure coursing but their website is rather scant with the information. Maybe email them. http://www.afghanhoundclubnsw.org.au/lurecoursing.html

That's just another day at work lol!

I was under the impression these were new changes. I wonder if other might have had a chance to try an import by themselves as yet? If you are able to micro-manage the overseas parties, you may be fine. Thinking of hassles with two imports I would wonder. I'm quite fortunate the breeder is also an engineer and project manager so we talk on the same wavelength and I have total confidence in them. They have also exported before so they are familiar with the process. I may need to use a third party through LAX to transfer the dog between flights on the way to Melbourne. Sadly I will be after the proposed cost changed so I'm majorly pissed off that I have to pay to groom my own dog. I'll probably run the gauntlet and see what I can get away with. I did speak with the AQIS staff at spotswood who were lovely and said they would contact me if their messiness became out of hand. The dog will be going 3 or 4 more days than I'd like without a bath. Hopefully they don't poop in the crate!

My occupation involves project management so I've decided to manage my dogs import myself. I was outraged at the third party fees I was getting quoted. The process seems trivial to me having organised things on far larger scales. Has anyone else done this? AQIS website is excellent and the time tabling is very useful (I would have done it myself anyway but one less thing to do). Has anyone else done it before without an agent? Also no visiting is allowed with new 10 day quarantine (is this correct). And to groom I have to pay for a supervised visit at around $160 and hour! Or am I misinformed? I tempted to shave the pooch at that cost!

I so so agree! I got pedigree dog from breeders that ticked all the right boxes and I knew that if anything happened my dogs could go back to the breeders no problems. Then I got involved in rescue to do some good and I got roasted for not getting a rescue dog . Perceptions are exactly the problem. You can't take your rescue dog back to the RSPCA and sometimes rescues won't take them back if it doesn't work out. We need to promote great breeders and good practices! Ill market that! So when are we going to get people to get on this as I still hear horrible stuff from the BBC thing about pedigree dogs

It's the state shooters park 1 Park Rd Buckland Park SA 5120 if your using aGPS

Being such a high energy dog I don't doubt she could do both. I used to have working heelers and BC's and they wanted to play frisbee after a full 12 hour working day moving sheep or cattle.

When the dogs run in groups of 2 or more its standard practice. Some dogs get overly excited about the lure and take a snap at each other. It avoids fights and injury. If you look at the events in Europe the dogs are always muzzled. Greyhound muzzles are the best as they don't restrict breathing drinking etc. you can get whippet and Iggys muzzles for smaller dogs. They can bark yawn drink without restriction. Don't get a muzzle that restricts jaw movement as it affects the dogs ability to breath

Sighthounds are the same! They sometimes decide they are deaf and know you can't make them come back and so they do their own thing. I have to make sure I have cheese on me if I take the giant fluffy butt out. Somedays he just say nah mum I can smell bunnies see you!

BRING THE HOUND MY BASSET WOULD LOVE IT

!All the areas we use are owned by Gawler greyhound club so they are really well fenced! Greys on the loose are not legal so don't worry about the fencing. It's in great repair too

Small rant - someone told me not to teach my dog to chase a bundle of tshirts because then she will chase the small fluffies and kill them. As if I could stop her from chasing the bundle of tshirts and that she can tell the difference between that and a dog perfectly well. Then again - she's not a sight hound. Some dogs just can't help it. It's Why when GAP rehomes some dogs they advise a large to medium dog as a companion. My boy has a fondness for the chase so anywhere we go, he has his muzzle on. That way he can't do any damage. That said he's been attacked on 3 occasions by small fluffies so I'm tempted not to some times. I so wish people would stop breeding those small fluffies X,s they sell in the pet shop and on gumtree as they are nasty nasty dogs. IMHO some dogs are just so wired to chase even raising them with small dogs never makes them trustworthy. Our last GAP foster got so excited by the rubbish the wind tossed about you hand to hold him really firm or he would bolt!

I got mine here. The nylon muzzles are fab as you pop them in hot water to make them a comfortable fit and then pop them in cold to set it. Also if your dog crashes they can't get poked in the face with broken wire (very rare but can happen). http://www.australiangreyhoundmuzzles.com/ Also newbies and first times are VERY welcome no experience necessary ;) Loan muzzles that are adjustable will be for medium to large dogs (kelpie to greyhound size)

I got mine here. The nylon muzzles are fab as you pop them in hot water to make them a comfortable fit and then pop them in cold to set it. Also if your dog crashes they can't get poked in the face with broken wire (very rare but can happen). http://www.australiangreyhoundmuzzles.com/ Also newbies and first times are VERY welcome no experience necessary ;)

I got mine here. The nylon muzzles are fab as you pop them in hot water to make them a comfortable fit and then pop them in cold to set it. Also if your dog crashes they can't get poked in the face with broken wire (very rare but can happen). http://www.australiangreyhoundmuzzles.com/

No breed restrictions even muttlies are welcome. As for age if your dog is under 9 months they can NOT run the oval track. They can do a puppy run at the straight lure at Virginia.

Dates for your diary if your into lure coursing and live in Adelaide. Virgina Slip track Park Road Virgina $5.00/run Saturday 6th of July, Saturday 3rd August and Saturday 31st August. be there at 10:30am for 11am start. Come and try oval track racing 437 German Town road Emerly Park (Two wells) $5.50/run. 9:15am July 21st and 18th of August. Also check out our facebook page and groups https://www.facebook.com/groups/294441020692066/ https://www.facebook.com/AdelaideLureCoursingAndLureRacingClub?ref=hl

I think lure coursing as a sport is long overdue here in Australia.

Thank you so much

I just love dog sport. I'm getting ready to do agility with my current afghan hound and I'm training our basset for tracking. Yet it PEAVES me that for serious coursing (even though it isn't ANKC) recognised) I have to travel to Brisbane for a serious comp! I soo believe a dog should be functional and beautiful.

I've been wanting to get serious about lure coursing for ages and it seems there just isn't a club in Adelaide that has regular or serious meets for fans of oval track racing (non greyhound) and lure coursing. So I've started a Facebook group and page to try get the word out with a few videos of what we could do on a regular basic rather than just for fun! Currently QLD is the only state I know of with a serious comp and regular meets for all breeds. So if you interested have a look or join the group. https://www.facebook.com/AdelaideLureCoursingAndLureRacingClub https://www.facebook.com/groups/294441020692066/

https://www.facebook.com/AdelaideLureCoursingAndLureRacingClub I have a Facebook page running now to try get some interest goinghttps://www.facebook.com/AdelaideLureCoursingAndLureRacingClub