BarbedWire

Deleted because as usual I have totally failed to answer your question. Happy Christmas everyone.

Thanks for the offer. It is very kind. I bought some BH grain free with chicken yesterday and it will do. She has had it before with no ill effects. The man in the pet shop seemed to think that the BH with salmon would be back in the future so I am not so worried. Initially it was just the last straw in a bad week but I have calmed down now.

Thanks Anna but she can't eat roo. It gives her diarrhoea. I have found chicken or fish the safest for her. I have rung my vet and am waiting for a reply. Last week she had three seizures on the one day and she also vomited with them. Maybe it was the food but she often vomits when she has seizures.

After a lot of trial and error this is what I feed my allergic dog and it seems to be the only dry food that she can eat without scratching herself until she bleeds. Now I don't know what to do.

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Love this thread. Brings happy tears. I am older and that little dog is so cute and I would love him but am not looking for another dog. Fingers crossed for you Bearji.

I guess this is something that is already known. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-23/chocolate-labradors-die-earlier-than-yellow-and-black/10418110 Chocolate labradors die earlier than yellow and black counterparts, study finds Updated 23 minutes ago PHOTO: The study looked at more than 33,000 labradors in the UK. (Supplied: Dogs 4 Independence) RELATED STORY: Faulty gene may help explain why Labradors are food-obsessed RELATED STORY: 'He looks after me': How Melvin the dog is helping one woman with dementia RELATED STORY: Meet the retirees who have raised 18 guide dog puppies If you own a chocolate-coloured labrador, chances are it will not live as long as its yellow and black cousins, a new study has shown. Key points: The median life expectancy for a chocolate labrador is 10.7 years, but 12.1 years for a non-chocolate lab Skin disease and ear infections are also more common in chocolate labradors Labradors of all colours are among the most obese breeds Research led by the University of Sydney found the life expectancy of chocolate labradors was significantly lower than their black and yellow cousins. It also found skin diseases and ear infections were more common. The study — which was part of the university's VetCompass program — looked at more than 33,000 labradors in the United Kingdom to get a better insight into their health and life expectancy. Data was extracted on death and disease from a random sample of 2,074 labradors, about 6.2 per cent of the dogs. Lead author of the study Professor Paul McGreevy told ABC Radio Adelaide that the findings were surprising. "The main reason we did the study was to find out what diseases they get … so that we can help breeders prioritise any breeding initiatives to get rid of inherited disorders," Professor McGreevy said. The study found that in the UK, the median longevity of non-chocolate labradors was 12.1 years, where as chocolate labradors was 10.7 years. Labradors are one of the most popular breeds of dog in the UK, and Professor McGreevy said he could not confirm whether the longevity rate would be the same in Australia. PHOTO: Labradors are one of the most popular breeds of dog. (ABC News: Mark Reddie) Focus on colour, not on health Professor McGreevy said researchers believed the difference in life expectancy was related to therecessive gene needed to breed chocolate labradors. He said breeding from a smaller gene pool came with additional risks of health problems and disease for the popular pooch. "We think it may be to do with their disease burden, they seem to have more skin and ear disease, in fact they get twice as many ear infections and four times as many skin infections," he said. "The chocolate gene is a recessive gene, so years ago … they were actually used for hunting and for retrieving, they didn't actually use the chocolate [labradors] for some reason. "But you have to breed from dogs that carry the gene, both parents have to carry the gene to have chocolate puppies. "We may have taken our eye off some of the health [issues] and instead focused on colour." Obesity remains a big problem In 2016 it was found that labradors topped obesity charts in studies and surveys across the US, UK and in Australia. PHOTO: The study found that obesity remained a big problem for labradors. (ABC News: Ian Cutmore) Professor McGreevy said his study had found similar results. He said that osteoarthritis was common in the breed which did not surprise him, as labradors could easily put on weight. The personality of the breed was also mentioned, however Professor McGreevy said more research was needed to find out if coat colour had an impact. He said he hoped researchers would one day join the dots and work out if behaviour was determined by the coat colour. "We are very interested in the behaviour of dogs … [chocolate labradors] have got a different retina to the yellow and black labs, very few people appreciate that," he said. "We don't know how that affects their behaviour but they are looking at the world through different eyes so we would expect some behavioural differences to be found."

I am so over this. This dog could move into your neighbourhood and you wouldn't know. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-26/council-dog-attack-victim-call-for-law-change/10306412 Dog that mangled woman's arm gets reprieve, prompting Palmerston council to review bylaws ABC Radio Darwin Posted 36 minutes ago PHOTO: Following multiple surgeries, Diana Thompson still can't dress herself. (ABC News: Jesse Thompson) RELATED STORY: Grandmother endured four surgeries after dog attack, owner got $450 fine RELATED STORY: NT grandmother mauled in dog attack calls for tougher council bylaws The victim of a vicious dog attack and her local council have been left powerless to prevent the animal attacking again after a court dismissed a bid to have it destroyed. Diana Thompson was walking her dog in March when a stranger's unfenced dog dragged her to the ground and shook her arm "like a piece of meat". Following multiple rounds of surgery that cost thousands of dollars, Ms Thompson is still undertaking physiotherapy and can't dress herself; she only recently got behind the wheel again. PHOTO: Diana Thompson attached this photo to the submission, showing her injuries. (Supplied: Diana Thompson and Paul Sedman) The animal's owner was fined for the attack and for having a dog at large — two fines totalling $350. Ms Thompson said that was inadequate. "I know it's not easy to change a law, but surely we could bring something in in the meantime; we could make fines a little more expensive — a couple of hundred dollars is nothing," she said. "If there's hospitalisation, if there's serious surgery, if there's permanent injury, can't we, as thinking people, take that dog away?" In a submission to the Animal Welfare Bill review, Ms Thompson and her husband said they were dumbfounded as to how the council could not act to prevent repeat attacks. But speaking with ABC Radio Darwin's Adam Steer, City of Palmerston CEO Lucio Cercarelli agreed, saying the case showed current animal management bylaws needed to be reviewed. "We took the matter to the court to seek a destruction, and the court found that in this particular case the dog would not be destroyed," he said. "They believe it displayed good behavioural characteristics, that even though they can't guarantee it, it was unlikely that a similar event would occur." Ms Thompson was incredulous. Short of fronting the courts, issuing on-the-spot fines and impounding the animal was about as much as council could currently do, Mr Cercarelli said. The dog has been deregistered and no longer lives in the Territory, but Mr Cercarelli was concerned that laws as they currently stood could simply allow problem animals to move to other municipalities. Unlike some other states, he said, the Northern Territory didn't have uniform legislation when it came to animal management bylaws. "We're calling on the Local Government Association of the Northern Territory, to lobby the NT Government to introduce uniform animal management legislation ... which will assist in dealing with matters such as this."

If you think the assessment is fair why are you objecting to it?

Welcome to the forum. I am so glad you started this topic. I am so not sure about these non refundable deposits some breeders are asking for but then I am a cynic. I would love to hear from others. In your case at least you have spoken to the breeder and you are going to meet the dog. Recently on the internet I have seen so many breeders - the ones I am speaking about are backyard breeders - asking for non refundable deposits on pups when the breeder is interstate and the purchaser has not even met the pups or the breeder. No way would I be paying a non refundable deposit in these circumstances. What is there to stop the breeder collecting several non refundable deposits on the same pup and that is assuming that pup really exists. Malshi at least you have spoken to the breeder and are going to meet the pup but I would still be cautious.

Sorry if my dog bit a child on the face leaving puncture marks I would never trust him/her again and I know what I would be doing.

I would not expect any wooden floor to withstand a pool of water for 12 hours. Any weakness in the coating and the water would get through and the cork would swell. I don't walk on mine when it is wet so I don't know if it is slippery. I use the water based coating which is easier to apply but it is not as tough as the other sort. If your floor is regularly subjected to pools of water I think you would need to look at ceramic tiles.

I have cork tiles and I love them. They are soft and warm. The disadvantages are that they do need to be recoated every few years and the dogs do scratch the coating when they are chasing balls and skid about. As long as the coating is maintained they are completely waterproof. I recoat them myself (costs me about $50) but it would probably be best to have a professional do it.

Thought some of you might this article interesting and worthy of a comment or two. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-05/bendigo-dog-show-attracts-3000-dogs/10074116

Just a few points from someone who these days doesn't post very often but likes to read what others say. Vets like doctors can have communication issues. For a doctor it is described as a bedside manner. Not sure what it would be called in a vet who deals with the owners of their sick patients, some of whom may be highly emotional and possibly irrational. Like doctors though some are better at marketing themselves and have better communication skills. Vets all have the same training. They have all passed the same exams and share the same body of knowledge although the knowledge would be based on more recent studies in the case of younger vets, but older vets would have experience which may possibly mean that a younger vet might pick up rarer diseases which an older vet might overlook. However some older vets would be keeping abreast of recent studies through professional reading and may also be up to date on recent studies. Vets have a very high suicide rate and perhaps it is better not to post negative opinions about vets together with information that makes them identifiable on an internet forum that can be accessed by members of the public, not just dolers.

Yes Jed in an ideal world that is what we would do of course. He doesn't want a pup because no-one will be home during the day to feed it so it has to be an older dog. All the older dogs on DOL are not suitable, in some cases because they are not good with cats and he has a cat. Also when a young couple have just bought a home in Melbourne they don't have much money left over. Anyway the one in the OP has gone. In a few weeks (I am giving him a cooling off period because dogs should not be acquired on impulse) I will be contacting a friend who has breeder contacts in Melbourne and hopefully he will be able to pick up a failed show dog from a breeder.

Thanks everyone.That boxer has gone but I do feel reassured by your posts so we will keep looking.

Hi all, We are a boxer family and my son who is living in Victoria and has just moved in to his own home wants a boxer. He has seen one on the internet and would like to check it out but it does not have papers. Is it safe to have an unpapered boxer in Victoria or can someone claim it is one of the restricted breeds (pit bull) and therefore must meet the special requirements for restricted breeds. Here is a photo. Does it look sufficiently boxerish to be safe?

I don't know if you are interested or not or if this dog has already been spoken for but this beautiful dog is in need at the DAS pound in Canberra (ph 132281). http://www.tccs.act.gov.au/city-living/pets/dogs/lost-dogs/impounded_dogs?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHAlM0ElMkYlMkZ3d3cuZG9tZXN0aWNhbmltYWxzLmFjdC5nb3YuYXUlMkZJbXBvdW5kLmFzcCUzRkFjdGlvbiUzRFVQRF9JUCUyNlBvdW5kSWQlM0QzOTU5NSZhbGw9MQ%3D%3D Edited to update: The above dog is no longer at the pound. It looks as if it was adopted.

Sorry to hear about Sniper Desertdobes. I had a boxer who had a lump in her mouth which turned out to be cancerous. The vet said that once it had ulcerated it was kinder to let her go because whenever she ate she would get food caught in the ulcer and that would be painful. I gave her her wings. She was 11 which is a good age for a boxer. Good luck with Sniper. I hope your diagnosis is good news. He is so young.

Where has the dog been to be injured like this? To me it looks old but I am no expert. Definitely needs to go to the vet tomorrow. In the meantime I would be cutting the hair away and cleaning it and try to stop the licking. Do you have a cone he could wear? Sorry I am not much help. I don't put anything on dog wounds because they only lick them off as soon as they can.

This article scares me. I regularly feed my small dogs chicken wings because I have been told they help to prevent teeth decay. Just wondering what other people think. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-06/raw-chicken-necks-linked-to-rare-dog-paralysis/9399562 "Most dogs eventually recover without treatment but it may take up to six months or more in some cases. "It can be difficult for owners to nurse their pet until the condition gradually improves." Research confirms theories The paralysis is the dog form of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) in humans, which is often triggered by the bacteria campylobacter, which may be present in undercooked chicken. Considering this, the researchers studied the faeces of more than 70 dogs. They found those with symptoms of APN were more likely to have had a campylobacter infection than those without, according to the study's lead author Lorena Martinez-Anton. "We predict that the microbe campylobacter is likely to be the reason for the dysregulation of the dog's immunity and therefore, the symptoms of paralysis," Dr Martinez-Anton said. "These bacteriological results were consistent with the hypothesis that the uncooked chicken meat was the source of the campylobacter and as a result, triggered APN."

I wonder where the woman in the OP was when the attack occurred. Why didn't she sort it out? I wonder if her children were home alone.

I have been thinking about this overnight and I just can't get over this comment from the mother of the two attacking dogs. 'They got out and grabbed the pug. It looks bad in the footage but they were just playing with it like a tug of war like she was a toy.' The mother just doesn't get it. Maybe her child was traumatised at seeing a small dog being wrestled by two large dogs. Strictly speaking the other dog, the brindle one, should now be labelled dangerous because it also attacked the pug. Interestingly apparently the owner of the pug was carrying a baby and she called out to her husband to come and help. It must have been so traumatic for her. Some of the comments on a local page (https://www.reddit.com/r/australia/comments/7uorth/man_beats_dog_to_death_with_cricket_bat_during/ ) say that anyone who knows that people own large dogs should keep their small dogs away. Really! So now people who own small dogs are responsible for their dogs being attacked. What are the rangers doing about this problem? Very little. They just release the aggressive dogs back to their owners. I do not know the area where it happened but it may have been just a local area and the man with the cricket bat may have lived close by. Maybe the dogs have been out before. The mother also talks about using the hose to break the fight up which suggests she has some experience with breaking up dog fights and my understanding is that her son (who looks about ten or eleven) also knew how to break up dog fights. It is all so scary.