ziggyboy

I like this. Instead of building one though, I can even use a standard dog house and cut the side/rear side. It would make it inconspicuous and burglars wouldn't think there's a doggy door on the wall! Genius!

LOL, my curtains already have quite a bit of dog marks on them. I've recently put a sliding door pet door but it doesn't look good, and reckon bad for security. Easy to kick open.

Boronia, that may be what I need but the reviews on the site aren't very good. Did some googling on multi flap doors and there seems to be quite a few available overseas. Haven't seen one from a local store. Hi Haredon, thanks for the input.

I'm looking at having a dog door installed but I live in Canberra where we get quite a bit of sub zero temps in winter. For people with dog doors and live in similar climates, how does the door affect indoor temperatures? I have inslab heating and worried that my electric bills will shoot up as a dog door is just a thin piece of plastic. House insulation is currently pretty good and I've got good quality curtains to keep the cold out. A dog door might negate all that and just let the cold in... Thoughts?

Hi I know this thread is months old but couldn't this case be pursued in the courts? Negligence of some sort? Us pet owners can get done by neglecting our animals, wouldn't this be the same thing?

I know what some of you are thinkin.. "not another how much does it cost to desex thread..." I'm more curious about inclusions to in desexing a male puppy (18kg). My local vet in Canberra charges $370 but that includes everything including: Cost of the surgery Take home meds Accommodation for the day Consultation before and after surgery Consultation after a week including stitch removal Am I getting ripped off? To those advertising $150 surgeries, does it include everything in the list above?

It depends on the type of vaccine system used in your state. I believe it differs from each state vet association. Some have just the 3 vacc system and some have both the 2 and 3 systems. In Canberra, it is more common for vets to be on the 2 vacc system. Read here: http://www.gungahlinvet.com.au/petcare-info/articles/new-vaccine-schedules-for-dogs.html

Hi sunny1shine, I don't work for Costco and without wanting to sound too over zealous about Kirkland this is the last I'd post on the matter. As I have mentioned, Kirkland isn't really "cheaper stuff" sort of dog food. Yes it is cheap, but as I've mentioned time and again, the content is at par with those costing $100+, hence why my gf could not believe that it costs less than $50 for a bag. I know some people trust products purely on price alone without doing some research. I'm not saying that your choice, for example, is bad... it may well be the best dog food around but I'm saying people shouldn't judge Kirkland strictly because it's cheap. She also only used to feed her dog Pro Plan and Royal Canin before Kirkland.

This is something I also thought about. Breakfast is always my own gourmet making, and the rest are kibble with 30% protein. Since brekkie is almost always about 50% minced meat, maybe I'm feeding him too much protein. I'm thinking of reducing the minced meat and putting more veggies and carbs. Suggestions?

This can easily turn into a religious debate so let's all just beware! Jess, my girlfriend has a black Lab and feeds her Kirkland kibble but supplements her diet with eggs and sardines. She's more critical than I am with food content and she absolutely swears by Kirkland. She has compared other brands in detail and when she discovered Kirkland couldn't believe the price tag. She immediately bought 4 large bags when it went on sale. LOL...

Hi Jess, Kirkland is Costco's own brand so they are only available from Costco. From my experience with Kirkland products they are not at all like Woolies Homebrand, etc... they are more at par with quality brands.

During the daytime I leave my puppy in the backyard but he's got a covered dog house, lots of water and an automatic feeder so he gets fed while I'm at work. They should be eating 3-4 times a day. I have semi-crate trained him. He sleeps inside the locked crate at night but free to roam the house while I am at home. First couple of weeks I have been putting his crate inside my room but recently been leaving it just outside my bedroom (front lounge area). He has stop whining now so I think he's kinda crate trained already. I say "semi" crate trained because I don't always leave him in there like other people would. And I didn't follow strict schedules on when to take them out of the crate. It took longer but he's comfortable being left in the crate for some periods of time. Oh and also I religiously took him out to pee every 2-3 hours at night when I first got him at 9 weeks. It was very hard work but it has paid off. He can now hold his pee for about 6 hours so I would take him before going to bed between 11pm and midnight, and if he makes some noise maybe around 4am, but at times he lasts until 7am.

I have been looking at dog food content and have found that the cheapest commonly available quality dry food to be Optimum. Actually, Costco Kirkland is the best (again based on content) for the price. They're under $50 and if you read reviews online they are rated even higher than expensive brands such as Royal Canin.

Thanks for all your responses - both negative and positive. I've taken all of them on board. I realise that I may have come across as being too concerned about costs. Maybe it wasn't what I said but how I said it. My communication with the breeder has been both over the phone and via email. Just to be clear I am not trying to cut corners. I merely just try and find the best value in everything, and "value" doesn't always mean cheap. Like I've already said, I went with Jetpets, who aren't the cheapest (I have read breeders in this forum use cheaper pet transport companies). I think the breeder misunderstood my search for value as trying to be cheap.

I'm very well researched with the dog itself but not costs. OK can I ask how am I to know puppy costs without calling a breeder? Isn't the first thing about finding out costs contacting someone who sells them? Are people suggesting I research puppy costs before contacting a breeder? That does not make sense.

This also would irk me a bit. But again I would like to point out that I do not know this????? First time puppy owner remember????

It is not odd IMHO because you want to know how much they really go for. I really disagree with 'whatever that money may be' argument. I shopped around for transport costs and still ended up with someone more expensive (Jetpets) than the competition. I was looking at up to $70 cheaper but still went with Jetpets because of their reputation. That goes to show that not everyone shopping around is looking for the best price. Furthermore it wasn't the puppy I was shopping around with, but the pet transport! I just called another breeder of the same breed to see whether the original breeder price is within the same ballpark. I'm not going to pay $5000 (for example) for the same breed, both registered, where another is going for $2000. Of course this is an exaggeration but the service I am getting surely isn't worth $3000.

Sorry I'd like to reply to this first. It is not the breed and breeder I mentioned in this forum. I have decided not to get an Elkhoud because my gf thinks it's not a good match for her Lab. I hope the Elky breeder doesn't get upset as they know I'm not buying from them anymore!

I understand but as a first time buyer I didn't know that about vaccination. I've just assumed that the puppy came with 2 vaccinations. With regards to driving the pup to the airport, it wasn't until she told me she lived x minutes from the airport did I figure out that it was a big inconvenience. Once told, I never asked or insisted again. Pet transport companies charge a big amount for such small distances. I suppose my only grip is that you can't expect everyone to know your situation. I didn't know about vaccinations and I don't know how far the breeder is from the airport, and I don't know how much they spend on puppies when raising them.

I'm in the process of adopting a puppy from an interstate breeder. In fact I have already paid a deposit weeks ago and now just waiting for the big day. I received what I thought was an awkward email form the breeder and would like your opinion about whether my actions indeed sounds worrying to a breeder. I refuse to mention the breeder or any hints as to what breed of dog it is or even the state she's from. Please understand that it is not my intention to bad mouth this breeder but I am just genuinely surprised by the email. I would like to think that a large number of people buying puppies from breeders are first time buyers, not just from the breeder but this is their first time buying a puppy from anyone. I grew up with a dog but I didn't buy him (my parents did), so this is the first time I'll be buying a puppy myself. Naturally one of the questions a first time buyer will ask is "how much?" Given our inexperience with puppy prices, any figure quoted to me will make me want to do further research to find out whether or not it is a reasonable price. In the months that I have been researching various breeds, I have come across puppies more expensive than others when even the cheaper ones even had more going for them (ie. breeder is more popular, own dogs that have won more shows, nicer to potential buyers, etc). But this isn't my complaint--the breeder in question is actually very nice. I was just stating a point. Ok back to my inexperience... In dealing with the breeder I asked a lot about interstate transport costs, her experiences with them, and who would offer the best price. I asked whether she was willing to drive the pup to the airport so I can save costs. I wasn't insisting, I was really just asking and I only asked once (yes, once). Once I figured out that it may be a huge invonvenience to the breeder I decided to just book a pickup from a well known pet transport company. The original plan was for me to have the pup picked up at 12 weeks and I was told by then I was told it would already have 2 vaccinations. Circumstances changed on my end and now I could accommodate the puppy at 10 weeks. She said it was fine but the pup will only have been vaccinated once and I'd need to to have the 2nd vaccination myself. I was OK with this, but casually asked whether she'd be willing to reduce the price slightly just to cover the 2nd vaccination. It was at this point that the breeder sent me a lengthy email about her concerns if buying a breed that may require more than usual maintenance costs is for me. She even cited the examples I've just mentioned, and was told that none of her buyers have questioned the price of the puppy or transport. Just always went with what she suggested and paid whatever price was asked. Now my question to breeders here is this... did I really sound that bad? Do most people really just take your word for it and pay whatever money you ask? I have just been made aware that breeders spend thousands raising a litter, and sometimes only make a modest amount from the puppy prices they ask. But I (and the many first time buyers) don't know that... so it would be natural to ask around and find out more about how much something really costs. Modesty aside...the interesting twist to this story is that I'm not poor, far from it. I earn a 6 digit salary, own 2 properties, and got no kids. I buy nice things and drive a nice car. However, these "nice things" I speak of were well researched and I made sure I'm getting good value. I just want to make an informed decision with any purchase. Not everyone who does research is shopping around for the cheapest price. Another example is that I am the sort of person who, if quoted $400 for 30 min plumbing job, would question the price or call around. I know of people who earn half my salary who wouldn't and just pay up... now I don't know if that's the average type of person. I may be abnormal or just too cautious I don't know... but it's not because I can't afford it. I just want to make an informed decision.

Thank you for all your comments. I have read them all and have taken them on board. For the meantime I have decided to think about it for a while, get to meet more dogs at dog parks do more research. It has only been recently that I have gone out of my way to ask about Huskies from friends and the 2 who have had some exposure to them say they are not first dog owner breeds. I keep saying I know what I'm doing but really I may not be....

Hi thanks for your feedback. I have been doing intensive research on the Husky and Norwegian Elkhound and have been in touch with breeders of both. I think the issue here is that I am after a totally different type of dog than my gf. I guess now the question becomes "Do I find a gf whose dog preference is similar to mine?" LOL just kidding....

Is it important to match the play fight "style" of a second dog? Reason I ask is that my gf has an active but very friendly female Lab. Mimi is hyper but on dog parks seem to always get dominated by other dogs and does not play like, say, Huskies do when they growl and look like they're actually fighting. I'm looking at getting an Elki, and also considering a Husky but Youtube videos show that they play very rough, at times causing their playmates to yelp and cower in corners when they do. My gf is really worried about this and does not want Mimi to yelp every 15 minutes because the new pup is always playing too rough. It's understandable though.... I wouldn't want Mimi to be unhappy too... Also, does it help that Mimi is female and I intend to get a male? Would males generally be less confrontational when play fighting with females or not? Many thanks!

Hi just found this thread. Hasn't been updated for months! o_O Anyway I have reserved a male Elkhound from Graabine. I'm totally researched about the breed but the only thing I am most concerned about is this breed's tendency to bark more than the usual dog. Has this been a problem for other Elkhound owners?