Cosmolo

What Rebanne said.

It's very difficult to say why the behaviour is occurring without seeing it- so the following is just a guess. But i will say- try not to be too alarmed just yet. There are a few things in your post that would lead me to wonder whether the behaviour has come about purely as a result of frustration- ie, not being able/ allowed to get to something he wants and the redirection onto the handler is the end result. Get QUALITY professional help.

I have had bitches together and would do again. BUT- be careful. They are always fine together- until they aren't if that makes sense. I have spoken to many people who have had their female dogs best of friends for years and then still had problems requiring permanent separation. Breed IS relevant.

Google is your friend- one of the places has had plenty of newspaper reports. I will try and sort what's wrong with my pm's

Wasn't aware that Pets Haven had foster carers, thanks for the info.

They are prepared to wait for the right dog- i have encountered many dogs over the years that would meet the criteria, they're happy with a pretty wide age range and a variety of common breed mixes. They want a rescue dog and prefer cross breeds- it's what they have always had and have been very happy with.

Hmm- my pm box is pretty empty? Not sure why it's not working!

We have many clients very happy with Diggiddy in Sth Melbourne. Few others i wouldn't touch with a barge pole!!

Thanks but i have advised them they need to look at dogs in foster care, not direct from a shelter or pound.

Nope no greyhounds i'm afraid.

They have had some experience with greyhounds before (they used to volunteer in a shelter) but i don't think they want something that big. I will double check though- thanks.

Yes they have seen a few on Petrescue. Will be putting the feelers out amongst the rescue groups we know as well. :)

So my parents are looking for a dog and have asked me to assist them. It is vital that they get the right dog for them and they are willing to wait as long as needed for that to happen. Dogs need to meet the following criteria Must be female- this is NOT negotiable for their own reasons. 18 months- 6 years of age- no puppies or very young dogs MUST be very good with children Needs to be dog friendly Must be okay with being an only dog though it is possible that they will adopt a second dog in the coming years Breed- ANY working dog mix, labrador or spaniel type mixes No bigger than Labrador size No bull breeds or bull breed mixes No major behavioural problems Short hair though labrador type coats are fine Will only deal with ethical, responsible rescue groups who have quarantine procedures etc. My parents are retired and will spend ALOT of time with the dog they adopt. Dog will be inside when they are home, when they are out dog will have a dog door to one large room of the house as well as access to the secure backyard. Dog will be walked once a day. This is an EXCELLENT home for the right dog. Please post links here or you can email me [email protected]

I have a client who has asked about road transport options for a dog to go from Sydney to Canberra- any suggestions?

From what you describe it really does sound like attention seeking behaviour rather than separation anxiety. And yes, sometimes hearing advice from a third party professional can be really helpful in getting everyone on the same page.

Set him up for success as much as you can to really pro actively teach him what to do. The less time he spends inside, the harder it will be for him to settle when he is inside. Terriers are super smart and generally pick up on things rapidly- this means they pick up the wrong thing quickly too if we're not one step ahead!

I am so sorry Kirty.. He is so lucky to have an owner like you xx

Leaving him for ten minutes is not a long time when you get home- many dogs need much longer than that the first few repetitions. There are so many things that would likely help in conjunction with each other- dealing with anxiety type issues requires a multi faceted approach and as i am not sure what else you're doing to work on the problem i'd hesitate to advise too strongly. Does he spend time outside with the door closed when you're home at other times? When he comes inside at other times does he go to a bed or mat and stay there or follow you around the house? How old is the dog?

Put the dog on a lead, arm yourself with some food rewards and teach him to go to a bed or mat and reward him for staying there. I will go against the grain here and say i don't think it's a maturity issue at all- i see many older dogs with the same problem, who have never been taught to settle down inside.

Our vet is Warringal Veterinary Clinic- there are 3 vets that work there and they really are all fantastic. The vet nurses are really great too. We work in the area frequently too. :)

So the cruciate appears to be intact. He does have suspected sesamoiditis on both hind paws which we have to monitor. The vet doesn't think they are tumours although it's a possibility and the reality is even if it is there is nothing we can do for it anyway. Can't do much for the sesamoiditis either. We have increased the tramadol and will put him on the maximum dose to see if that makes any difference. He has been weight bearing on the bad leg quite well today. We discussed options for when the other cruciate goes (as i'm sure it will, there was inflammation there when we x rayed it when the other one was done- it's just a matter of time) and there are no non surgical options that have a good prognosis given his size and issues. So for now we wait and see and cross that bridge when we come to it.

I do know that his welfare is more important than my needs. But only just coming to terms with the loss of Georgie and Jessie.. 2013 has been a shit year.

Our beautiful family photo..

Thank you very much Airedaler- that is a great article. Part of what is influencing my thoughts right now is that i can't bear to think about going from a family of 5 to a family of 2 in only a couple of months. I won't let this stop us from making a right decision and i know we have to be unselfish but the thought is just horrendous.