Cosmolo

It's not a hypothetical at all and i am not a troll. My dogs are real- take a look at my signature. I adopted them when there were restrictions about pure pit bull terriers. My dogs are certainly NOT pure pit bull terriers. What they are unfortunately are dogs that meet this ridiculous standard- introduced VERY recently. The dogs are 5 and 7 years old- shame i didn't have my magic wand or telepathy to see that this standard was going to be introduced. And it doesn't matter if i am not 'doing the bogan' as you call it. There is no requirement in the standard for the government to consider bogan behaviour or status- it's about visual identification of dogs. And i am a she.

And of course i did my order last month.. Just great!

But steamboat, what should people do who adopted cross breed dogs with no known parentage prior to the introduction of the laws? What do they do NOW. They didn't do anything illegal, they had no way of knowing the dog they bought may match some standard in the future. How do they deal with it now?

One dog fits every point in the 'standard' and the other is slightly too big- not sure that it would matter though if they met every other point! How hard could it be steamboat? I have NO idea who bred my dogs- both rescues, one nearly 5 years old the other nearly 7 years old. Foolish and idiotic of me- yes?

I don't believe my dogs are pit bulls or crosses. But based on the standard introduced which as introduced AFTER i got my dogs, they could be in trouble. It's impossible for me to prove otherwise with dogs i had BEFORE this legislation was introduced. If that makes me an idiot and a fool so be it. What Aphra said.

steamboat how do you propose owners identify their dogs breed or breeds?

I'd love to see any more stats you have. :) I am pleased that there will be one less location selling live animals. But it worries me at the same time that a recession is coming.

I have to agree with Danois. This year has been very tough for alot of small businesses and it makes me worry more than anything else when i see businesses closing their doors.

Just wanted to say i hope your dogs are recovering okay. Depending on what actually happened, it may be worth contacting the council which they are located in. While there are occassions where animals can require veterinary attention without it being the fault of the kennel/ pet sitter etc, these are usually minor things that could have occurred regardless. There is a big difference between this and something you believe to be negligent. Having taken legal action this year against a business whose negligence nearly killed my horse, my advice is to first send a letter requesting payment of all of your expenses. If you receive no or a negative response, get a solicitor to send an official letter of demand. At this point costs are minimal. From there on in though- lawyers bills can be unbelievably expensive (and i would always allow 1/3 more than they tell you!!)Small claims may be a cheaper option as suggested by others.

Just to add- it IS possible to assess a dog in a shelter environment to get an indication of likely behaviour. But tests like this shed a bad light on every behavioural assessment.

I have seen more dogs in shelters and pounds than most people. That test is outrageous.

Impulse buying is bad. Impulse buying can occur in shelters, pounds, from breeders and in pet shops. What stops impulse buying? Proper screening processes. Proper screening processes can occur in a pound, shelter, from breeders or pet shops. I realise this is not the only issue but this seems to be the one put forward. Would i prefer that programs like this were not needed- yes. Would i prefer for perfectly normal, healthy, happy animals to be housed appropriately in pet supply stores to be rehomed rather than die because the shelter has 'no room'? Yes. It's the definition of housed appropriately that needs examination.

It is VERY unrealistic to assume that dogs in shelters receive proper enrichment and exercise. I would rather have a dog in a quiet pet supply store, given sufficient stimulation, exercise and enrichment than have the same dog in a shelter which provides none of the above. Screening processes should be in place in the same way as a shelter and if you think that impulse buying does not happen in shelters- think again. There are plenty of people who come for 'just a look' and feel so sad about the animals situation that they adopt and take one home.

I don't have a problem with it provided there is proper screening in place in the same way that someone would be screened by going directly to the shelter/ rescue group.

You may want to seriously consider a rough coat Jack Russell Terrier. Active, bold, confident and would LOVE the amount of exercise you're talking about. The breeder of our rough coat JRT is amazing, happy to pass on details if needed. She doesn't show as much these days so you're unlikely to see her at a show. Would definitely go to a show to have a look at the different breeds though and narrow down your choices.

How often does the airedale visit and for what time periods? It's very unlikely that a situation where a dog comes and goes, who does not get on with the existing dog and where there has been multiple altercations, could be 'fixed'. Management and complete separation when you are not there is likely to be required.

Imagine if they made vets report.. Some vets would refuse.. Some owners would just not take their dogs to the vet..

I'd love to read TSD. Unfortunately that comment comes from my experiences of beating my head against brick walls for a number of years..

Changing attitudes is difficult- and that applies to the general dog owning public AND people working in pounds, and shelters.

Gorgeous dogs- would be advisable to get a professional to have a look at them together. Whereabouts in Victoria are you located?

If he was mine, he wouldn't be getting any food from a bowl (ie for free) for at least a few weeks. Food is the easiest thing to increase value for as all dogs need to eat. I find sometimes with dogs like this, getting them excited can make them worse- if there is no focus, that excitement tends to be continully directed at the thing they are already reacting to. You need to put him away well before he has lost it and is lunging at the other dogs- at this point it's too late. Why can't you use a lupi halter for training? What do you do when he pulls on the lead toward the other dogs?

Tht length of class is far too long. What is he doing while waiting for his turn? What does he do when he is arriving for class and before leaving? I think the way classes start and finish is super important which is why ours start with Nina Ottusson problem solving toys (by week two, dogs and owners make a beeline for the games not each other) and massage at the end so that the dogs finish calmly and relax with their owners which i believe aids learning.

Get the DVD Really Reliable Recalls. It is excellent.

How much do they charge for dogs?

While i agree with some of the suggestions to correct this type of behaviour- if the underlying cause is a lack of exercise, attention and stimulation, the dog will just choose another inappropriate behaviour. Dealing with the cause is important.