Her Majesty Dogmad

That wouldn't be nice for the dogs. Many dogs don't need to get their anal glands done. Our dogs get checked every year and they've never had to get their anal glands emptied. Yes, it's a little over zealous. AG problems are more common as an issue in small breeds. With the latest 2 dogs I've rescue (I've had one for 4 months) - both were very neglected and their anal glands are presenting as a regular issue - we don't know if it's going to get better. I can't rehome until I know if it's going to get better. One of them had very full glands, my vet thought they'd never been done. We are doing the supplements but she's had to go back again after only 3 weeks. With the other dog, he'd suffered years of neglect - most likely in a puppy farm type situation, he has other issues too - health and behavioural - although he's quite young. I'm giving it 6 months to see if I can improve in every area otherwise he's going to have to stay!

Pretty much every dog I rescue from the pound needs their bum done .... I can't believe it when I get another scooter - every time! I've had people tell me their vets have insisted on selling them worming tablets but the dog kept scooting. I daresay that some vets might just be avoiding a very unpleasant job ... My Italian Luigi (who's gone now) has legendary status for the worst anal gland explosion ever seen. He had IBD and needed them done every few weeks. I had missed the due date by a month or so - oops .... it was horrendous.

Have you realised that anti-rescue "nutters" aren't all that popular on the rescue forum?

You can hire them - my foster carers hired them to trap our lost Iggy when he was running around industrial estates.

Just searched for animal rescue in Cowra and came up with this: RSPCA Animal Shelter. (02) 6362 6171. W.I.R.E.S. Wildlife Information & Rescue Service Inc-Central ... (02) 6331 1066. I wonder if the RSPCA in Cowra might be able to help (as they are homeless) or make some suggestions?

I just looked - it's something like 10 hours, might not be realistic.

If any improvements have been made at the LDH it is due to the very hard work of the VIC rescue groups and you need to stop denigrating all that they've done. There's still a long way to go. LDH are not confined to their Melbourne shelter - as this thread indicates.

Andrea of Companions for Life runs Maremma Rescue in Portland NSW. I'm sure she'd be happy to help. I'm not sure how far Cowra is from there, i'd have to look on the map.

You are so polite. I think it's time that T acknowledged that Victorian rescuers aren't totally clueless ...

T - you are showing your ignorance of the problem now. Your last paragraph indicates that someone should adopt from LDH. That's the problem - you can't. If the dog is over 2 yrs old - it's dead, if it's matted - it's dead, if it is too small - it's dead, if it's too big it's dead, if it doesn't look right - it's dead. I've been there. I've seen around 100 dogs in there and 3 for adoption. THAT is the issue that these local rescue groups have been trying to address and you don't know the half of what has gone on. I'm beginning to find your posts a little offensive.

I should also add that I've tried to get dogs out of LDH - both as a member of the public and also as a rescuer. As a member of the public, I made at least 5 phone calls for one particular dog over a few days - as requested. Didn't manage to get any of them. I'm sure they died instead. Is that a better result T? I know the Pounds in Sydney well, they do their utmost to find rescue for the dogs or find them a home rather than euthanase them. LDH is the other side of the coin - they do their utmost to kill them and deter anyone who tries to do anything different.

LOL - considering that the rescue I'm with (in NSW) has successfully rescued dogs from the Victorian LDH without paying a full adoption fee, and have spoken to GS on the phone myself with regards to the rescue of those animals... I may just have more "expertise" in this area than you might think... Your suggestions have some merit - however, have these tactics (especially the media campaigns) actually made a difference to the Victorian LDH kill stats or their willingness to work with local rescue? T. I really think you would need to be a lot closer to LDH before you could claim to be an expert on the topic and denigrating rescuers who have managed to save animals from there (and very ethical rescuers) isn't helpful. Running a rescue is very different from volunteering in one. That said, everyone should be horrified at LDH. It operates as a pound for lost animals for several councils BUT it does not portray itself as a pound. It portrays itself as something like the AWL or RSPCA - rehoming animals. It asks for money to help animals when in reality, the proportion of animals that make it out of there is very tiny. The actual shelter conditions in Melbourne were horrendous when I visited, far worse than Blacktown, Renbury or HP. There was no excuse when LDH was raking in money. I've met Victorians who were leaving money to this organisation in their wills - I hope I managed to change all of their minds when I told them the truth.

Didn't get my first dog until I was in my 20s although i'd grown up with my best friend's dogs - a Scottish Terrier, a Boxer cross and a Labrador - loved them all. My first dog was a Lakeland Terrier. I have a great love of terriers but always admired the beauty and elegance of the Greyhounds and Whippets. I was 40 when I got my first Italian Greyhound and in 2009 I set up Iggy Rescue with another DOLer so have fostered a load of them. I will always own terriers though, I love them and they are hardier healthwise than the IGs and not as highly strung ..

Thanks Lyn He's definitely very Iggy - has the right colouring too! Is he going to get an Italian name too LOL? :laugh:

It could be worse ... my current Italian Greyhound occasionally brings in a poo for a picnic - she might have this on a dog bed or on my sofa. It was on a dog bed today which is now in for a soak in the laundry As I have other dogs there is no way I can lock them all out. I'm mortified when she does it and there appears to be no cure - I've done the pineapple thing and she stops for a while and then starts again. I'd take a bin raider or counter surfer over this, any day!

Wow - thanks so much - i'll pm you the info!

Denise from PAWS would like a homecheck in QLD for a PAWS dog. Any help appreciated!

It's just about the dog learning (or thinking) that nothing good comes from the counter! It may not work if food is left out elsewhere. My Italian counter surfed a sandwich one day that i'd left too close to the edge but he also rummaged through people's handbags if they had food in there and nothing at his level was safe. I soon learned that when people visited, whilst I was showing them out he'd pretend to be asleep and then i'd turn to find him with a muffin wedged in his mouth ...

Tabasco sauce is very strong - you only need a dab of it. I do a lot of follow up help after adoptions for rescue groups - including my own - and this tactic has worked for a number of issues. It frequently deters the dogs from doing something again as it is very unpleasant for them but doesn't harm them. Maybe in great quantities it would but we are only talking about a little dab on something like a piece of bread etc.

Yes she has that aspect of it, and has that sighthound clever too! Good fun though! Glad she's not the only one. If nothing else I'll have a clean kitchen, I'll have that to thank her for. I might try something hot or wet. She isn't much for getting wet either. I wouldn't do hot or wet - hot is dangerous and so is wet - if the dog slips and breaks a leg, that would be horrendous.

Seemingly intelligent people can be very stupid - that's where a lot of dogs come from. Someone I know moved to the country onto acreage. They "rescued" an unwanted Ridgeback cross - a desexed female. The same people that gave them that dog are "breeders" - they breed their Ridgebacks with their Staffy and Mastiff crosses - not sure if it is generally for hunting. From a litter, they had a male pup left so gave it to these people. To my horror, they plan on "breeding" him when he's fully grown - to one of the dogs their friends own (also a crossbreed). They had no clue that he'd most likely roam because he's undesexed - they have unfenced acreage .... I'm doing my best to deter them but am not sure i'll get through. As for their friends, they are one breeding bitch down as their Ridgeback was confined to a shed when she came on heat - so that none of the male dogs could get to her. She died in there.

The only thing I'd suggest is putting something safe foodwise on the bench but put a little Tabasco sauce on it. It should hopefully be an experience she doesn't want to repeat. Many sighthounds also bench surf!

Perhaps your mum has left you with her dog but it is a responsibility you didn't really want? This can be even worse especially if the dog becomes unwell and you don't have the inclination or resources to manage the situation for the dog. Should you decide you can't continue to care for your mum's dog going forward, please contact me and we can discuss getting him into rescue, getting his health reviewed by a rescue vet with an up to date vaccination, dental etc and rehoming him.

Totally adorable!

I met a lovely couple today who have recently lost one of their dogs to old age. They have a female (rescue) Pug/Silky cross aged 5 or so, who is a gentle girl and she's really fretting, has become very depressed since her best friend passed away. They are on acreage and have pool fencing so want a dog of around 8-10 kilos that can't squeeze through bars. Housetrained and female is preferred but they are open. They have special needs grandchildren who visit so dog must be good with kids. They are happy to get a dog groomed or have a scruffy coat that isn't too hard to manage. I showed them a couple of potential dogs but one was too small and the other was a Staffy cross - they don't like Staffy types and wouldn't consider the dog, even though the size/temperament seemed right. They have visited both HP and Renbury and didn't find a dog they felt was right. I think a dog in foster care might be best due to the children.