Rosetta

I think someone posted this in General - followed by the usual hullaballoo about promoting cross-breeds etc. I think it is great too :)

I use those "green" eucalyptus type products for floor washing and eucalyptus wool wash to wash the dog's bedding. I steer clear of more harsh chemical type cleaners. As for food I have tried all types of the "sensitive skin" type kibbles and none seem to help the itchies

Has your friend had a look at the Pet Rescue website? There are always heaps of lovely doggies looking for homes

Glad the op went well. Did the vet give you some pain killers to take home? She will need some over the next few days.

Very sorry for your loss Jules

Not a hang up at all - only sensible IMO. Plenty of small dog owners agree with you. :)

Has anyone tried those hand held ultrasonic things that you point at approaching dogs that is supposed to scare them off? I know it would also freak out your own dogs if it was effective but worthwhile in an emergency situation?

This sort of thing really cheeses me off. People have small companion dogs and leave them outside at night to bark and annoy the neighbours when the solution often is quite simple - confine the dog inside and verbally correct when it barks! I had a similar problem with a neighbour's small maltese outside at night barking at wildlife. I suggested perhaps it would be better if the little dog could be inside somewhere where it would not be able to see possums etc. I was told "oh he's an outside dog" and later I found out that they had put an e-collar on him to stop the barking instead I don't know what you can do if they are not even willing to try any simple solutions - perhaps just suggest that the dog may be quieter inside at night because it will not be able to see anything to set it off.

Tradesmen used to be a huge problem in the suburbs with their dogs on sites roaming free to harass passers by - I haven't noticed it happening so much these days though.

Yes - they don't recover from the trauma and it takes years off their lives.

I don't think there are any shampoos designed to prevent ticks - you would need to use a preventative such as Frontline.

But isn't the general feedback that dogs often react more strongly to vibration settings than stimulations from ecollars? I don't know - would be interested to know though.

I saw a vibration only collar advertised the other day - I think it was a Petsafe one? Or what about those ultrasonic units you can activate manually - maybe something like that instead of a citronella one if you want to use a collar?

Jack wees in the house sometimes if he thinks he has been left alone and we haven't gone through his "separation routine" of food puzzles etc. This happened the other day when I went upstairs and forgot to shut the baby gate into the carpeted areas - sure enough found a puddle in one of the bedrooms on the carpet Hasn't happened in ages - must be peeing season :)

I think it is only sensible to be on alert when walking the dog - I am constantly scanning around for off leash dogs. Fortunately I live in a quiet suburban area where off leash dogs are uncommon and I can go for a walk later in the day when there are fewer people and dogs out. It helps if you can avoid peak times. Dog parks I avoid all together - full of distracted people on their phones with no idea what their dogs are doing. I used to take my small dog to one which had a separate section for the littlies but there was a woman who took her two little dogs there every day for hours and sat glued to her phone while her dogs terrorised any other dog who tried to enter.

An incredible story . It never ceases to amaze me what cruelties humans can inflict on animals and they can still trust and respond to some kindness. A beautiful and special dog.

double post

If this does happen you can report the ad and it will be removed. Advertising for animals to breed with is against Gumtree's Pet Policy rules. It might be against their rules but there are plenty on there and if you report them it can take a day for them to remove it - plenty of time to get enough responses in the meantime.

I prefer boarding kennels to a stranger pet sitting in my home - there are too many possibilities of something going wrong. Can you try her in the kennel for a weekend and see how she goes - it might be reassuring for you to know that she can cope OK.

Westiemum - don't know if this has been suggested but is it possible to set up a webcam to observe what the naughty boys are getting up to in your absence? That way you would know for sure who the culprit is :D

Exactly. What else can we expect from dogs that are confined in yards, expected to be "guard" dogs and encouraged to be aggressive by moron owners, most likely ill treated. What is going to happen when those dogs escape their confines? Two of these cases lately relate to owners who are "away". Hit the owners hard in the hip pocket and ban them from owning any dogs until they attend a responsible dog owner's course.

I would be reporting to the RSPCA what I had witnessed. Just not acceptable and they deserve some questioning

Poor old lady. Even if she survives the attack her life will be shortened now as a result of this. Perhaps the elderly and very young are particularly vulnerable as dogs sense they are weaker? Much the same as some dogs will attack another who is experiencing a seizure.

I've tried it but found it was not effective for my boy with SA. Perhaps a Thundershirt would be worth a try?

Very sad outcome for you Ash - RIP little one.