dididog

This is really close to me I hope they don't target other parks in the area but I will be watching Didi like a hawk when we go down to the reserve for our daily wander. The type of person who would think to do this is one there is no room for in society. So malicious and cruel. Very lucky this lady found out in time.

We have a little rubber mit that I just wet and give a good rub over and it gets so much hair out but most of it still ends up all over the house :laugh:

We bought a crate before we got Didi and it was only after we got her that we realised how big she would be so the crate was only big enough for a few weeks but in those weeks I used it at night for sleeping and put her in there for a few hours even if I was home so she got used to occupying herself/didn't get into any trouble while I did stuff around the house. She was toilet trained reliably by the time she out grew it and she would sleep on bed through the whole night so we never bothered buying another one :) I don't plan to ever use a crate again with her because due to her size any crate big enough for her won't fit in our house but at least I know if she ever needs to be crated at the vet or for injury that she understands the concept. Maybe if I ever got a smaller dog I would use one again.

We're doing pretty well now, Didi likes her bed and when I get fed up with her (which tends to happen when your 30kg puppy wants to sleep ON you) she will go on her bed. Sometimes she'll just go and lie on it by herself while we're all in another room. I have a sheet on top of my other bedding so she ca sleep on my bed more and I just make sure the bed is staying clean.

I put in Didi's weight at the moment (30kg) and says she will only be 38.8kg???? Considering she's been consistently putting on 1kg a week I can't see her weight gain dropping off that significantly in the next 6 months but she is also a cross so I can see why the predictions for a purebred Great Dane would differ to her actual weight predictions.

Looks like it has mainly American Bulldog in it to me. And really dogs are allowed off lead in the streets!?! Hopefully those leash laws go through, innocent people should not have to worried about them or their dogs being attacked in the street. I love how the article initially claims it as a pitbull type and then later says it is still of unknown breed...

Wow Yonjuro that is so horrible, I am glad you and your puppy were not seriously hurt, although the fractures sound terrible enough. Hoping you recover from the ordeal, the world's a scary place sometimes

Hermon's friend and their cuddles sound very sweet :) It's fortunate that for every bad experience they're are plenty of good ones otherwise I'd be feeling pretty disheartened going out.

Be very careful. Dogs on Melbourne trains need to be muzzled. http://ptv.vic.gov.au/getting-around/luggage-bikes-and-animals/animals-on-public-transport/ Yep I know, I don't bother using the train now, barely anybody abides by the rule and I've never been pulled up on it but I don't want to risk a fine.

I'm glad everyone seems to only get these reactions occasionally!I'm beginning to get nervous on walks because I hate confrontation and I know at the moment Didi is likely to freak out over little things. Luckily after most of my bad incidents with people I get a good one, like after the incident with the child these two girls from the dog park ran across the road to give Didi a cuddle because they recognised her which I think made Didi forget what just happened. Then straight after the mother who yelled at us for scaring her kids we walked passed a mother with a toddler in a pram who kept saying things like "Look there's a doggy! Look how nice the doggy is, isn't it a pretty doggy!" as we walked passed which cheered me up a bit. Another one I found slightly amusing was I was getting off the train at Flinders Street Station and there were those typical people who crowd around the doors on the platform as if they expect to get on before everyone else can get off and because you couldn't see Didi through the doors when we stepped off everyone scrambled out of my way gasping in surprise.

[quote name='Rainy' timestamp='1397770071' post='6465323 No i wasn't implying anything just curious, i haven't had an issue with any one like this however we don't see newer immigrants here often. Don't worry Rainy the comment wasn't directed at you, I didn't think you were implying anything.

Wtf?! I hope you kicked him in the hind.... I don't think anything would make me angrier than somebody hurting my dog!

With Didi I understand she is big and black and therefore intimidating so I don't blame people for being scared as they all have their reasons for being so but it's definitely the way they react that makes everything so much worse! It's really hard to assure someone my dog is friendly when she is backing away in fear from somebody screaming or running away.

siiigh. I'm gathering by the 'white' comment that you're implying I was making a big deal about race. I am sorry if it appeared that way, I don't think it is racist to acknowledge cultural differences often have something to do with how people approach dogs nor was I condemning it in any way...

I'm not claiming to be an expert here nor claiming I have read the Quran and am more than willing to be corrected. My understanding is vague and is from what I have been told by my friends who pactice Islam and read the Quran. I have also heard Muslim people tell me or others to move their dogs or refuse to sit near one because it 'is dirty' so even if it is not stated expressly in the Quran that they are dirty it is clearly a common misconception not just by Westerners but people of Islamic faith too. I was just acknowledging that their were potentially some cultural factors to do with why both mothers had such an extreme reaction and hence why I understood and didn't make a big deal.

Out of curiosity what has this ^ got to do with it? Obviously a generalisation as I have a Muslim friend who also loves dogs but many are often not accustom to dogs as pets and come from countries where they are more commonly strays/working dogs and therefore seen as unhygenic or dangerous. There is also a stipulation in the Quran that if a dog were to lick you you must clean the area 7 times (something along those lines at least) and I believe there is something else about dogs being kept for reasons other than work and service being a negative thing. This is just something I've heard my Muslim friends tell me when I've asked why. Most of the immigrants in my area have moved here relatively recently and so are not used to seeing pet dogs so I am more than understanding of why they react the way they do. Conversely I am sure their are plenty of Muslims who love dogs and plenty of non-Muslims who hate dogs, I'm just considering the factors that may be the reason.

Also on that note, anybody have ideas on how to get Didi less freaked out by kids? She's never been exposed to them much as I literally know no kids and all of the kids in my street also have mothers who would react similarly but for the most part just remained indifferent/curious of them until now. I've noticed quite a few kids hanging around obedience class so I was thinking of starting there as they are more likely to be dog savvy and just ask if they can feed her some treats and eventually work up to patting her and whatnot.

I get many people for cultural/health/personal reasons don't like dogs or are afraid of them which I totally get and respect and as a result make sure Didi is never able to touch somebody unless they initiate it when we are in public and generally try to stay as far away from other people as possible. My area is really dense with immigrants and international students though and almost every time I take Didi on a walk I get some sort of reaction, some quite intense and potentially damaging for Didi. So I was wondering what's the worst reaction somebody has had to your dog in public? Mine's a toss up between two that happened on my main street. One was the woman three days ago who scooped all three of her children up and squished them up against a wall with her back to me, shielding them from my dumb puppy who I was walking as far as possible away from them whilst yelling that my dog was scaring her children. Which I would find understandable if all of her kids hadn't been giggling and constantly turning around and going look at the doggy! with smiles on their faces as we had approached them. Luckily Didi didn't seem to phased by it all. The next was on the same street on a Sunday afternoon, walking on a really wide pavement (the really wide ones on shopping strips where cafes can fit outdoor furniture)and a group of 3 mothers and their 4 kids took up the whole pavement and could see me coming from ages away. I stopped a few metres away because there was no room to get past and their kids were running around when a little boy ran up going 'doggy doggy doggy' and laughing. I had Didi behind me and said he probably shouldn't pat her as she is a bit scared of little kids but he reached out to pat her anyway and at that exact moment all 3 mothers started screaming at me/the dog/the kid??? I'm not sure what they were saying but the screaming freaked Didi out to the point my pretty unflappable, 30kg puppy tried to jump into my arms which made them scream even more and the whole thing was rather melodramatic especially as they had taken up the entire walkway and let their child run up to my dog before deciding they didn't want their kid patting her. A heads up would've been nice or you know after the incident moving over so I could get past you instead of continuing to take up the whole walkway! In both of these cases the mothers were African immigrants and of Islamic faith so I totally understand the reactions, just makes me a bit sad as in both cases you could tell that the children were curious and amused by the dog, one of them even wanting to pat her but will probably have this fondness for dogs stamped out of them over time. Sorry just a bit of a vent more than anything as I can't change people's perceptions on dogs and do not wish to but I wish they could tone down their reactions as it makes everything worse. Since the incident with the child Didi has been very spooky around children which upsets me since she did nothing wrong

I just looked at some of you Youtube videos and the one thing that struck me was Bonnie looks so happy to be working with you, her little tail is always wagging! It makes me sad to think she is shutting down at obedience when you are clearly able to do so well with her at home and that she has the desire to please. Sounds like you're in a bit of a tough situation regarding being limited by your parents which I get, I'm still 17 so if I need a lift for something doggy related I have to ask my parents or catch the train (but that's not always possible) and I always feel bad for inconveniencing them. I do second the suggestion to show somebody at your obedience club your videos and ask them to rethink their decision because it's clear you're both capable, you just need a bit of special consideration because Bonnie is unsure in the club environment. Sounds like maybe bringing a parent when you ask could help to back you up as they may think it's easier to ignore you/think you don't know what you're doing because you are young.

Oh well as long as he's a nice puppy that's the important part haha

Hehe I also tend to think she is the cutest thing on 4 legs but I am probably a bit biased ^.^

Was wondering where Vinnie had gone! Still such a cutie and I love his nose.

No don't let me look! I'm already going to have to part with about $120 for coats she will outgrow before winter is over :laugh:

Etsy collars yep can't wait for the puppy to stop growing so I can buy her nice things with out feeling bad about wasting money on something she'll outgrow!

Woweeee I think I bought Didi 3 toys before I brought her home and she only ended up liking 1! Looks like your pup will be very well catered for :D