Willem

well, I can tell you that for the school my kids visit this is pretty normal (reading with 5 years)...and if kids there are interested in dogs (a lot of kids actually are) they might be also keen to learn a little bit more about dogs... Now what has this to do with Bunnings and the thread?...not much, it just drifted away from what really happened in Bunnings as I thought it is not appropriate to insult kids in general and call them names - no matter whether they can read it or not.

I was there today to pick up a cheap lopper and saw someone with a muzzled kelpie looked to be well behaved, in a heel. No-one was paying it any mind and I'm sure s/he appreciated the coolness of indoors. I think I might use weekday-bunnings as a training location in a few months when the initial "must take our dog for novelty" is over with, if dog seems amiable, the staff are amiable and we finish our muzzle training (it's touching her face, the horror! ) hm, they (Bunnings) sell these sun hats and umbrella as merchandising, maybe they could also sell green muzzles, something like this , just in green with the Bunnings logo :D ?

....You think it's irresponsible to have a dog in Bunnings... nope, that's not what I said and think...

firstly: some people here have no idea about what 5 year old kids today are capable off - I also couldn't read when I was 5 years old...today it is not unusual that 5 year old read books, I mean real books, not this 'house...picture - mouse...picture - toddler stuff'...with 6 years they do PPP at school!....the class rooms are equipped with PCs and kids are taught about google, Wikipedia etc. secondly: the site doesn't get picked up by any filter as an adults site, so I may suggest that we all just follow the 'guidelines' respectively the forum rules. Obviously some like to ignore them, or like to bend them in their favor, but for most of the members I guess they still have a meaning.

...I didn't see a forum rule that states an age threshold, however one of the rules is, and I quote from here: •Think carefully about any possible consequences before posting. Be aware that a large audience may see your post (via Google searches etc), and your words may come back to haunt you. Unlike the spoken word, your written posts will exist on here for a long time. We are not obliged to remove your membership or any post you make. ETA:...and why shouldn't they read it?...it is actually a pretty good source to get some good ideas how to behave around strange dogs, and isn't this what we want? Because it is an adult forum and people do not write on here thinking that children might be reading it. ups,...then I recommend that everyone read all of the forums rules again...

...I didn't see a forum rule that states an age threshold, however one of the rules is, and I quote from here: Think carefully about any possible consequences before posting. Be aware that a large audience may see your post (via Google searches etc), and your words may come back to haunt you. Unlike the spoken word, your written posts will exist on here for a long time. We are not obliged to remove your membership or any post you make. ETA:...and why shouldn't they read it?...it is actually a pretty good source to get some good ideas how to behave around strange dogs, and isn't this what we want?

...lets assume the 5 year old girl who was bitten read all these comments - do you really believe that a five year old girl thinks that these kind of 'jokes'(?) are funny?...or her friends in Kinder?...and how old were you when your mother used a 'leash' - with a toddler walking harness?...5 years old?

...based on how the incident happened this thread has not much to do with misbehaved kids; however, your language and generalizing negative description of kids shows that it is obviously very important for you to let everyone know that you don't like kids. Well, think about this: the world is not as it is because of the kids, if it is messed up it is because of us adults. Kids don't rule the world, they don't make the policies for Bunnings, they don't vote and don't govern countries and so on..... So if you see something you don't like: you can be pretty sure that it is something we adults stuffed up. Depending on our age and health - and our skills - our time and capability to make this world a better place is likely limited, I guess we have to leave it with our kids if there should be any progress. Therefore I ask you to make an effort and be polite to kids as they read this forum too - and they need all the support they can get, otherwise they might become a miserable adult character like so many.

...looks like your are an expert in teaching kids manners and how to behave

No. Dogs are not children. Society cuts children more slack and as dog owners we'd best never forget it. I hate how so many of these bites on children stories turn into "dogs v kids" threads. Its a pointless comparison. Our dogs are not our children, they are not "fur babies" or "fur people". Its one of the reasons I really dislike those terms. This incident appears to have been caused by the kind of dog owner who didn't manage the dogs well in a stressful, volatile environment. I can hear it now "he's never done that before". Well folks, given the same circumstances he will again. As for the "only muzzled dogs in Bunnings"? Mine will be staying home, where I would have left them anyway to prevent them being put in a situation they found threatening or uncomfortable. I think this specific accident could have also happend with an adult / regular customer bitten by this dog (I guess the dog's owners problem was also that he had to supervise 2 dogs at the same time which definitely increased the risk factor), so I agree, this shouldn't be a 'dog vs kids' thread at all. Consequently all the suggestions wrt controlling those 'feral kids' are out of place. Actually, when I walk our dog my experience is that there are more adults than kids who want to pat her! Wrt the new policy: Bunnings might overreact, but it is their responsibility to keep the place safe, and obviously their options are limited, e.g. they won't hire a dog expert that will undertake a comprehensive evaluation whether the dog an owner wants to take into the shop is safe. What ever Bunnings will do in the future, the accident should be a reminder that it is the dog's owner duty of care to train the dog for the dog's and others safety, to train him no matter how old the dog is, and to make sure that the likelihood that such accidents happen are little as possible. Never assume that your dog won't do this or that because he never did it before. If an accident like this happens - doesn't have to be at Bunnings! - it never will help to improve the reputation of dogs and their owners!

...Bunnings doesn't differ between cars / trucks of tradies and cars of other customers that drive into the sheltered area, I do it most of the time (driving into the sheltered area) especially if I have to buy some bulky stuff - my understanding is that it is actually not only for tradies as it would be a little bit tricky to pass the normal checkout with a 3.6 m long yellow tongue particle board. Therefore any dog owner can drive in and leave the dog in the car under the sheltered area without having to use a muzzle ... ETA:...there is a downside so as that gate to the 'tradie' section closes earlier....sometimes I found it already closed at 4pm; so it is a good idea to call your local store for the opening hours of the gates if you plan to drive in.

...here we go again...we already had the recommendation to use leashes for kids, now it's straitjackets...what's next?...e-collar?...how can someone put 'touching things' on the same level as 'biting people'?...is it the kids fault that Bunnings changed their policy?...I never heard that a kid bit someone in Bunnings when someone accidently bumped into them or passed them too close...

...this strategy is not 100% safe, e.g. there might be a 5% likelihood that the dog will suffer from an adult heartworm depending on the drug used, more info here on Wikipedia, see Prevention. Where do you get 5% from? Genuine question, not trying to be picky :) I find it too hard to read multiple pages at once on my phone so haven't opened the link yet. For a dog to get heartworm it needs to be bitten by a mosquito who is carrying it. For a mosquito to be carrying it it needs to have bitten a different dog who has adult heartworms. Mosquitos don't live very long so all this has to happen in a very short period of time. Once you factor in the % chance of all of those stars aligning, and then combine it with the % chance of you missing any heartworms on 2+ treatments, your risk factor is becoming very miniscule :) ...from the quote: ..."Lapses of up to four months between doses of ivermectin-based products still provides 95% protection from adult worms. This period is called the reach-back effect.[18] Annual heartworm testing is highly recommended for pet owners who choose to use minimal dosing schedules..."

if it's your car why not :D ?

I admit I have problems to bond with some type of dogs / breeds, so for me it depends on whether the dog has the right character, size and personality (do you use 'personality' for a dog?...dogality :D ?)...I guess it is the same with people. However, if it is the right one, bonding just comes when spending time with the dog, during the training ...it just grows...

..yep, very likely that ticks (brown and paralytic) are around there...so advocate alone won't help...you would need Advantix, Bravecto or Nexguard...

...this strategy is not 100% safe, e.g. there might be a 5% likelihood that the dog will suffer from an adult heartworm depending on the drug used, more info here on Wikipedia, see Prevention. If its heart guard you are using then its safe to give at any point of the worm lifecycle. So that 5% wouldn't matter. Other drugs may. ...ingredient of heartguard is ivermectin, so according to the Wikipedia link it matters (?): quote: ..."Lapses of up to four months between doses of ivermectin-based products still provides 95% protection from adult worms. This period is called the reach-back effect.[18] Annual heartworm testing is highly recommended for pet owners who choose to use minimal dosing schedules..."

...this strategy is not 100% safe, e.g. there might be a 5% likelihood that the dog will suffer from an adult heartworm depending on the drug used, more info here on Wikipedia, see Prevention.

hm...that sparks some ideas My link ... :D

I just filed a complaint with ACCC - it is a mystery why Australien customers are not better protected against this scam that can be easily detected as scam!

ETA: This means nothing to me, it's just what they say, perhaps someone can translate. It also says they're unlikely to work for dogs being fed raw/high protein diets. absolutely bollocks!

...the reasons why your grass grows or not are 100% not linked to the dog rocks - climate, rain, diet whatever...but not the dog rocks!!!...if you want to save money - don't buy this scam!...paramagnetic igneous rocks...aarrgh....

Hello Ryan, I see you have mentioned Mite Avenge here in your post. I live in Brisbane, Queensland and am struggling to find anyone, anywhere who sells it or who can ship it to Australia. Do you mind me asking where you have bought it from or do you know where and from whom I could buy it from. Thank you Ryan Simonette Miethke ...with these ingredients quote from here: Citronella, Clary Sage, Clove, Eucalyptus, Helichrysum, Karanja Seed, Lemon, Lavender, Neem, Peppermint, Rosemary, Styrax Benzoin & Vitamin E oils, Kelp, Polysorbate 20, Purified Water, Dihydrogen Dioxide and Tender Loving Care it definitely should work :)...and 'dihydrogen dioxide'...?... just use the usual expression 'hydrogen peroxide' ...but then they call it 'all natural product'... I think selamectin (Revolution) is pretty effective against mites...

ALL land snakes are deaf! That said, i never realized before now venomous snakes were so common out there. . snakes are not deaf!...they just have a different hearing system and hear via their jaws!

...than it must be my body odor that the browns and red belly don't like .... :D ...wrt tigers I'm not so sure as the ones I saw were dead...