Brandiandwe

(Gets out knitting needles and starts knitting....)

Hot water bottles packed......

The costco beds have a moisture resistant cover.And I'm considering garbage bin bags too....

How many doonas and blankets? All of mine end up with a doona of their own, with an extra fleece blanket or two, and a pillow on their beds. As well as a jacket if necessary. Have I mentioned that I have a T-shirt that says: "I don't spoil my greyhound. I'm just very accommodating."

What she said! We can squeeze another one in till he gets something more permanent.

I can probably foster him but need help with the $$$. Yay council rates! Any rescue groups able to help?

I don't have bad resource guarding. But what I meant was if I'm in the kitchen, dogs can be there, but any attempts to guard me or the food, and everyone ends up outside the kitchen. A dog can be snuggled up next to me in bed or on the couch, but can't guard me from another dog - human furniture is mine so to have that resource the dogs need to share it. I've also worked hard to make sure I can take high value things like bones away from my dogs through trading up. They know I don't take their food or treats away unless necessary and that they will get something awesome in return so there are no problems. Because I always want to be ready to get that roast chicken, pill bottle or whatever off them that they've got that is dangerous.

I really hope you get this sorted. The only and most serious scuffle we've had between our girls was over resource guarding. I turned my back for less than a minute and Brandi nailed Paige, just missing her jugular and her eye. $700 the week before Christmas. This was also after getting Hermon who was given up for adoption because of resource guarding and food aggression. We manage it by feeding in the same order, same places every time. I am always there watching. No one can approach anyone else's bowl until the others step away when finished. No one approaches or eats till I tell them OK and I send the others away so everyone eats without disturbance. Everyone now knows that I don't tolerate aggression or inappropriate behaviour. Everyone knows that I will protect their food so they don't need to. It's really the same way I've managed leash reactivity - now they know that they can trust me to look out for them and take charge, they are calmer. Good luck!

^^^^^^^^^^^^. This. The favourite here is the memory foam bolster bed, but the others are also excellent.

I have greyhounds, one if whom has a very nicely developed prey drive..... Giving control of my dog to that natural instinct isn't something encouraged in suburban areas. :laugh: I loved seeing them work, but also love the smiles with the children....

Brandiandwe when you watch Rotties playing, especially with other breeds, you can see their herding behaviour. It is more subtle than that shown by Kelpies and Border Collies. Baylee and Zeph learning herding manners (balance and pressure) That is SO cool!

No offence taken! I couldn't work out how to say what I meant first time round, then had to try again. Definite case of problem between brain idea and incapacity to use my words effectively! And those Rotties have made me out a Rott on my 'wouldlovetohaveatsomestageinthefutureificanbeartoaddaninsighthoundtothepack' list. :D

I actually was trying to get at what one can see just by looking at or watching the dog, particularly if you're not familiar with it. So, you can't tell a Rottie is a herding dog by seeing it in those photos, but a fondness for children is clear. A beagle, for me, is merry. Not cheerful or happy, but merry. Bassets exude placid, and often contentment to me. But with these breeds I've seen them, gone and read the standard and gone 'click'. It fitted. Whereas others, I could see the physical, but couldn't 'see' the temperament traits in the description, either because of when I saw the dog, because of the context (herding Rotts for instance), or because it didn't pop for me. I think I'm interested because what attracts me to breeds isn't necessarily their appearance but their carriage, air and personality. So I wonder what other people 'see' when they see breeds they are less familiar with which will be different from those who are familiar with them. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

Just for fun, and out of curiosity, I'd like to know which breeds everyone thinks best exemplify or embody their breed standard? I'm thinking especially for non-aficionados or breeders, and not the physical characteristics per say, but rather the character and personality if the breed which is obvious to people outside. For example, for me, the beagle really is a "merry hound". I think they really suit that description even from my outsider's and ignorant perspective. Likewise, the bull terrier's "fun loving attitude" is always seen, for me, in their clowning. These are not breeds I'm familiar with, but for me I can see how their breed standard fits them for personality whenever I see them. How about others?

North west Sydney here: SWF of various mixes, oodles (awesome family dogs, healthy, and great cause I'm allergic.....what do you mean not all of them are suitable? Sigh). Various mixes including bully breeds of different types (we RESCUED our dog. Yes he is quite aggressive, but it will be fine if you stay out of our way even when I'm being towed towards you), lab mixes (yes, he came from the pound, he is dog aggressive, but it's ok. I rescued him. He beats up my other dog but it's fine), a lurcher ( she's a greyhound. It's funny how she doesn't look like yours though.... She's a mix but mainly greyhound. I call her a greyhound. We got her from the pound. She's a rescue.), terrier crosses (not from the pound or rescued apparently). Also, my favourites, a lovely Great Dane who wuffs happily, daschunds who I like better now they aren't allowed out through an open gate to have a go at my dogs, and another greyhound. And a single, elderly cocker who belongs to our neighbour and bops along very happily. Beagles and whippets also sighted regularly as well as a couple of black labs, some mastiffs and general bitsas. No real trend here except for the infuriating insistence on rescue dogs. Which is infuriating mainly because of the use of that label to excuse poor behaviour with no corresponding training (ie I know that no dog us perfect, but surely you need to invest time and effort to help your dog rather than excuse a lack of recall, aggression, reactivity without preventing your dog from approaching or harming others, as being because they are a rescue. Because wherever they came from, they're now a pet). Sorry.

I've done a lot of alone training with Boo, so coming and going over and over again for lengthening periods of time, rewarding calmer behaviour upon return. Then a lot of work on socializing with other dogs when possible. The look at me game with cats and small dogs and distracting her when she starts to fixate. Her anxiety levels have dropped so she's almost stopped peeing inside (although a change of diet has also contributed). She's become a lot less pushy with the others, and has accepted her position under the others, which she's much happier about. Most of these issues we've worked on since we got her, and all of them stem from fear - she's a very soft dog. But the collar really helped in dropping her down a bit, giving her a chance to learn a better way of being. The collar comes off in a week and then we'll see. But for now, I think it's given us a good chance to work through a few issues. I'm also considering a diffuser for our thunder phobic Hermon.

We noticed a difference within 12 hours after putting the collar on. It starts releasing pheromones as soon as it warms up. But all it did was take the edge off and keep Brandi in a less aroused state so we could train and she could learn.

I can't comment on much here, but I've had an Adaptil collar on Brandi for the past few weeks while working on anxiety and SA issues. It seems to gave helped get her and keep her in a less stressed, more trainable state which has been great. She has chilled out a lot. It will come off in a weeks time and then we'll see if the training has paid off. So it might be worth a try.

I'm not showing (yet) but one way I think is great to get to know what's what is to go along to shows and, when you know a few people, volunteer to help. This holds with horse events and dog shows, but helping set up rings, being a runner, pencilling schedules, holding dogs, hairbrushes, numbers..... All the very boring jobs, but a couple of weeks ago I pencilled a schedule for a club show I was up, and organized ribbons for the steward and judge. So I was positioned next to the steward, could hear and see the judge work up close, see how different handlers handled and showed their dogs and saw all the dogs up close as they entered and left the ring. I also got to speak to some competitors, ask questions (in quiet times) and learnt a lot about ringcraft, the breed standard, the pizazz that the best dogs have ...... Really invaluable, interesting, and I got to help the breed and show organizers out.

We've had two incidents, one which resulted in stitches and a $700 vet bill the week before Christmas. That one was between my two girls, who had lived together without incident for two years previous. That, I think, was over a lizard in the yard, but was related to Hermon's arrival about three months earlier. I think things were still settling. Brandi nailed Paige who needed stitches in her throat and beneath her eye. Millimetres in any direction would have resulted in a punctured jugular or a loss of an eye. The Voice Of God stopped the fight immediately so it was more of a scuffle. Hurrah for greyhound skin! The second, Hermon shoved his nose into Brandi's food bowl. Know idea why he was there, as they are fed separately and Boo usually finishes first. That was a nice deep puncture wound just in front of the ear. VOG stopped things immediately and he's kept his nose in his own bowl since. Brandi is firmly at the bottom of the pecking order and we're very strict about orders of feeding, leashing up and so on. But there are regular growls and grumbles which are just communication. They're all pretty good now that Hermon is integrated as top dog.

I'm more interested in the boot liner you've got there! Where did that come from? (Cute dogs BTW!)

We have an Audi Q5. We used to have a Forrester, but the new one has done away with boot space. In fact, many of the SUVs seemed to have gone for more leg room for passengers and less boot space. The Audi isn't ideal (we have the back seats down when the three greys are in it), but it does work. The other option we looked at was a volvo. You might be better seeing if you can find a station wagon. Again, those are becoming more difficult to find as well.

I find dogs amazing and am constantly surprised by the way they know they need to turn their energy down and become gentle with those who need it most. Brandi us a bouncer who, in her enthusiasm to join humans on human furniture, has trampled various delicate parts if DHs anatomy under paw in her way through. Yet on therapy visits, asking her to join an elderly and fragile person with osteo and dementia, she knows instinctively where and how to get on the bed and how to lie so they can pet her and feel her body heat without bruising, breaking bones or tearing fragile skin. They know when someone is fighting their fear to pat them and interact and, I think, go to extra lengths to please. Yay for Bruno!

Mine seek it out. Generally I love it, but I'm less keen when the toilet door is nudged open and I get the uneasy sensation of not longer being alone .....

Just to add, saw Hermon's friend this afternoon. DH got to see first hand. She was gardening, came down, ran to put her gloves and the weeds down, and came to meet him. Eye contact, pats, the greyhound lean and neck cuddle and a hug from the human. It isn't all bad, is it?