Trisven13

Thanks Cosmolo. As you know - funds can be a little tight for us and we've had an offer to trial a citronella collar from a couple of different DOLers - what that be a bad thing given that Grover is such a whoos? I honestly don't think it would take long for him to figure out that barking gets the yucky thing happening but don't want to completely repress his delightful silliness either..... You know my yard set-up and it isn't possible for him to be permanently in the front yard as that is the kid's yard.... Though I suppose I could always make the back yard the kid's yard?????

I don't know either - I will confess to being confused about that but assumed that she must have special permission to use it as it is being used in conjunction with an approved trainer.

I've seen them demonstrated in Wodonga - I have no doubt about their effectiveness and think it is a disgrace we can't use them in nSW.

I'm in NSW - shock collars are illegal :D . Otherwise, with Underdog's assistance, they would be my first port of call.

But if you have a neighbour (who I've since found out is a junky) abusing the dog over the fence that runs a huge risk of danger to the dog.... :D

We have a bit of a nutter who is newly moved in next door to us. I know his ex quite well and she has said that he has a very bad temper and mental health issues - this was not said in anger, she is helping to care for him and is at his house quite often. Grover my OH's deerhound is around 9 months old now and he barks quite a bit in play. We have tried dealing with it in different ways - he goes for a small walk every morning but can't have a long one as he is a growing giant breed, he is given a verbal correction, if he gets too vocal (say a bark every few minutes for 5 minutes) then he is brought inside and he sleeps inside at night. This morning the guy walked out into his backyard, screamed at the dogs to "get down" :D (they weren't "on" anything) and when I went outside to ask him if there was a problem so that I could address it he said "F^%$ing dogs, they bark all day and night". Now I know that this is not true as I work from home, I hear them, if they bark they are brought inside, they sleep inside at night, they are walked regularly etc etc and my other neighbours have told me that my dogs hardly bark. There are only normally two dogs in the rear yard - one is Grover, the other is Bart - the rest of the dogs are in the front yard away from this guy's house. My reading of the situation is that the guy is a nutter BUT Grover is still annoying. So - time for solutions.... I'm going to put up fence extensions on one section of the fence bordering his property that is only five foot tall - will give us and him some more privacy. But I'm also wondering if a citronella collar might help to correct Grover barking in play? Does anyone have any experience in this regard? I know that all anti-barking collars also involve a level of training - what sort of training are we talking?

IMO - in my opinion

Sorry - didn't see this. Not sure what a strata lawyer will charge but it won't be super cheap. If you're only renting my recommendation is move out. If you own it and can't afford to sell easily (and lets face it, who can) then IMO it would be worth getting some decent legal advice quickly.

Oh Kaz - I'm so sorry to hear

Just needs the "adopted by foster carer" addition huh?????

Was just thinking this morning that I hadn't received a description for China.....

If you're in NSW I know quite a bit about Strata laws - get a lawyer but you may still lose depending on the wording of the by-law. If the by-law was put in place after you moved in did you attend the AGM at which the resolution was passed? If not that probably wasn't a great idea. Strata laws are very strict, and for a reason, it is not easy to win if you have done the wrong thing under the laws. Can you post the wording of the by-law? Best bet is to not be antognistic at this point as it will just makes other dig in their heels. Are there any owners in the block who are happy with you having a dog? If so you need to get their details. If not I would say you're screwed sadly. ETA Seriously - reading what you've written if your OH is on the Executive Committee and the by-law was passed without him you may have a case but NOW is the time to get legal advice - ring the Law Society and get a referral to a strata law specialist (you may well get my boss :rolleyes: - whoever you get will only be able to act if they don't already act for the Strata Manager). In my experience Strata Managers are very good but they're guided by their Owners Corporation. If yours don't like dogs you're going to have an uphill battle. Doing nothing will mean you lose - you have to fight PROPERLY from the beginning. Good luck. Trish

What - no parvo in Victoria at all???? I'm not trying to be rude but I would doubt that. There is a definite link between parvo and suburbs of a lower socio-economic standing in the same there is a link with desexing (or lack thereof) in those areas. In my experience parvo exists lots of places and is brought out by the weather. We haven't had any parvo through Albury Pound in over 10 months BUT I know that there has been parvo around Albury recently and a pup died of it in Bright (which is in Victoria) a couple of weeks ago. I don't know the Melbourne suburbs well enough to comment but is it possible that those areas in which you're asking about parvo are of a higher socio-economic standing? If so there is generally less parvo in those areas due to increased vaccinations. ETA - there is no point being overly paranoid about parvo. Like all other terrible things that can happen to our dogs it is best we take sensible precautions, vaccinate our dogs, feed them a quality healthy diet and not deliberately expose them to harmful situations (ie somewhere where you know there has been a dog with parvo). Be careful, do not be paranoid.

How beautifully worded - RIP Simba, you were much loved.

Yes he was.

Karen I'm so sorry.... You've had so many horrible things to deal with foster dogs its just not fair that you've now lost your own dog. I wish there was something I could say or do to make it better. Trish

I'm so very very sorry. How terribly sad.

Thank you - she will just love it!

Just wondering if you could possibly make something for my friend who lost her lovely old foster failure Rhino "Friends live in our hearts forever"

I'm not a vet or anything remotely like an expert BUT this sounds suspiciously like the symptoms one of our rescue dogs had. He was eventually diagnosed with a type of meningitis and once put on AB's recovered quite quickly. When initially diagnosed with a sore neck and treated with cortisone he continued to worsen. Another lady I know locally lost her dog to meningitis only a month or so after our dog was sick with it.

Some pics of Rhino enjoying life

Poor old Rhino - impounded time and time again over the course of his 12 years due to extreme storm phobia but claimed everytime until that last one about 6 months ago. PPS put her hand up to foster him but due to some unforseen circumstances he couldn't get to her for quite a while and in that time his temporary foster carer fell in love with him. For the last 8 weeks of his life he has been in heaven with his foster failure owner completely renovating her house. Lots of workmen around all the time and old, crippled, incontinent, deaf Rhino was in heaven hanging around with the guys every day - it was really obvious he had been a workman's dog at one point. Amazingly his old owner was one of the workmen at the renovation and was so happy to see his old mate both still alive and in such amazing condition - it even resulted in a feel-good story in the local rag. Sadly yesterday Rhino walked behind a reversing truck whilst working with his mates and was killed . The workmen who had befriended him over the last 8 weeks were devastated and apparently a number suffered severe nightmares last night. Thankfully his foster failure owner was away and didn't have to see the tragic ending to his life. RIP Rhino - you were a great old staffy who had a fabulous long life full of many adventures and lots of excitement. We all wished a peaceful ending for you - so sorry it wasn't to be.....

Xkaliba is also for Dachshunds (standard smooths) ETA - and Bhealaich for Deerhounds

In four years of desexing approx 800 rescue dogs we've not lost one YET. I expect that at some point I will because I know that it happens but IMO its not an excuse to not desex a dog that you don't need to show or breed from.

So given those figures up to 60 dogs that I've desexed would have urinary incontinence - surely I would have heard about it if that was the case? I know you're big on natural stuff etc Morgan and I'm not trying to be a smartarse but I just can't see how if those figures were accurate, I wouldn't have heard about it in the dogs I've know and that the ONLY case of it is in an entire bitch. If it was such a big risk surely I would see it??????