karen15

I work full time and got a puppy last year. I had long service leave available, so took 3 months off to play with my puppy :D I found him a friend a month before he was due to come home. The first four weeks revolved around him. I'd look after my horse in the morning (that takes 1.5 - 2 hrs). To start with the dogs came for the trip and after a couple of weeks they stayed home while I went out, at which time the dogs would be separated. He had his lunchtime nap for a few hours, which me and the other dog were both really pleased about as he was a little livewire! In the fifth week I started painting. That was a wonderful ease in to not being with me and amusing ourselves. The bedrooms open to the back yard, so I could monitor as I worked. I was only doing a few hrs painting a day, so that plus the horse was about half a day without me. Moving to the front of the house put me out of eye sight, so I was more removed. I started riding again then too. Final month was the practise for me going back to work. I'd go shopping, visit friends, go out riding etc etc. By the time I went to work it was a non issue. There's been minor chewing and that's it. Obviously the dogs go out daily. I prefer to take them before work as that gets their need to check out the neighborhood out of the way. The neighbours have said they're fine, not noisy etc They also get bones to chew on and activity toys to get food out of. The pup prefers to chase a toy for his kibble than to eat it from his dish.

Wow, all of the councils I have lived in, if your dog kills another animal and you're reported, you are in deep doggie do do...... There are no excuses, even if it is in it's own yard. Anyone who thinks it's ok, should check their local council rules on dog attacks. None of the rules I have read separate attacks, and consequences, on the reason for attack ie prey drive, aggression, fear etc.

I've got a comb with twirly teeth that tug less when you comb. I'm not sure if you're meant to strip the undercoat from a pom? If you are, I really like the mars coat kings. I use them for a cocker and westie (as well as on the horses' mane LOL). Super easy to use for novices. The cocker I rehomed last year was clipped all over. A year later, she's coming good, but her quarters still need more growing. I've got before and after pics in the general area, recent thread Dogs of DOL pics. They're on the first page. I strip and clip them myself. Usually every 4-6 weeks they get a full groom. They get fully combed and brushed at least weekly, becoming more frequently as their coats are getting longer. I found there's an in-between stage where the cocker knotted constantly. Once her hair got a bit longer, the knotting stopped. It was obviously just the right length to tangle there for a while.

The first dog sounds like a mast cell tumor like my staffy had. His was subcutaneous (so couldn't be removed) and in his groin area. As soon as his got to the bleeding stage he was put down. It was only a drop of blood, but they get much worse. After he was PTS his vet said she was happy I had done it early as some people keep them going for ages and they end up with open wounds as cancers don't heal. So it isn't just greyhound people who don't put their dogs down when it is kindest for the dog.

I know. My cat was in renal failure. I thought she had a bad tooth but we put her down after the tests. The vet did say older animals can keep each other going, so the loss of my rising 14 year old staffy no doubt didn't help. It was harsh. The staffy had subcutaneous mast cell tumor that finally took off and took two months to kill him. His wonderful physio saw him the day before he was getting PTS and was in tears with me. Very kindly didn't charge for the visit, which I didn't expect. 1st Dec dog needed to be PTS, 29th Dec cat went to vet and never came back. Following 10th Sept my 19 year old horse had an horrific paddock accident and had to be PTS as well. All 3 gone in 9 months, coincidentally when I was on holidays. Current batch of pets don't want me to take leave for some strange reason!

Gremlins

What a wonderful, lovely idea to raise a generation of thoughtful, caring people. Those children must feel a wonderful sense of accomplishment when they see the impact they have had on a fearful, scared dog. Hopefully they will also learn animals are for life and it is a big responsibility to take on a pet.

Bit too foxy in the face for me, plus they sound like escape artists (looking at the link earlier on the thread). I live on a main road, so that would really concern me. I had a cat at the time as well, so needed something that would work with her. She was used to a staffy, so I thought she'd quickly put a westie pup in its place. Unfortunately, she died exactly four weeks after my dog she was nearing 17, but it was still a shock to take her to the vet and be told she had days to live.

I went about my dog search differently. I noted what I wanted: Stocky build Square head weight approx 10kg Outgoing , confident personality Preferably a terrier, but not limited to that. So I looked at the breed standard for a lot of breeds, narrowed it down and decided on a westie. He is exactly what I wanted. I'm horrified to own a SWF, but he is utterly perfect. You have a lot of different types (look, build, personality, drives) on your list. I'd suggest objectively listing the traits you want and then cross referencing them to the dogs on your list and further investigating the ones that fit your desirable traits.

Asal, totally different council. If the Canberra dogs had of been in Brisbane it would have been dealt with very swiftly. That petition you linked annoys the crap out of me as the dog had been barking for two years. The woman would have received multiple correspondence about the issue, but because she is a selfish self centred individual, she has done nothing to address the issue. All she says is the dog doesn't bark much. Well no, to get to this stage the dog is barking A LOT! To keep the necessary documentation on this takes a lot of effort. It isn't just one or two complaints. I lived next to a pair of barking mongrel border collies. They barked non stop. Their people were home and did SFA to stop them. There is nothing worse than having a major concussion or being home sick, or merely trying to sleep at night, and having mutts bark non stop. Despite numerous complaints and me talking directly to the neighbours, nothing happened. Fortunately I moved from that cul-de-sac to a main, 4 lane road. The peace here is blissful. With respect to dog attacks, my experience with Brisbane City Council has been fantastic. My staffy was attacked by an Irish wolf hound at around 6.30 am. I reported it as soon as I was home. An inspector was at my house by 8.30, but we were at the vets. By the time he returned at 12.30 he had been to the dog and spoken to the witness. Dog was declared dangerous pretty quickly after that. As it hadn't drawn blood, I believe that's why it got that classification. The staffy had strips peeling off from where he'd been bitten, but I'd gotten it off him before it could latch on and puncture. How did I get it off? Dropped the lead (ick - didn't want to!), waited for it to pin my dog to the ground, stepped up behind it and locked my legs in behind it's ribs, grabbed its collar and twisted and lifted. The lady who saw it was amazed I managed to get it off. If it had been my current dogs (westie and cocker), they would have been seriously injured. Ever since that day I seriously distrust off lead dogs and will actively get after them if they approach in any manner. Most owners dislike that, but they are the ones breaking the law by having their dogs off lead, so they really have no come back.

I don't get enough animals to have a names list. I seem to pick a name in the lead up to a new pet and the pet that fits the name is always perfect :D If the animal is already named I never change it as I think it is rude. You wouldn't make a new friend and say I hate your name, so I'm going to call you Drama. Pretty much everyone I know renames, but I just can't do it.

Dogs can still sniff while walking at a fair pace. My younger one, just 12 months old, seems to get a fair bit of sniffing in whilst keeping up with the other dog. They're not on long leads, just long enough to have a nice loop. We do puppy park first for them to wander and sniff, then on lead for a walk. Qld in summer, I don't take water as there are water stations on our route. For half hr, I generally wouldn't water at all to be honest, but then I don't go out in the heat. Certainly wouldn't walk a dog on bitumen in the day in summer. At the moment it's probably not too bad.

37kg does sound heavy if average weight is 30kg. The cocker I rehomed is a porker. I cannot shift the weight. The vet has said not to worry, they've seen worse, but still I like my dogs to have a waist when viewed from above. She's active and walked daily but weight won't budge. She's at the top end of weight for the breed but could lose 3 kg IMO I agree with MrsRB about recommended feed amounts. I've never fed the amount on the packet, but that is because I also feed mince and bones. Then again she may just be a big lab. My staffy was a ball of ripped muscle at 21 kg. First time his vet saw him she went OMG he ripples when he walks (she saw him for 8 years or so, but I still remember that comment :)) on the link above it indicates max weight for a staffy is 17kg. When he died he was just over 22kg but still had a waist and wasn't fat - vet was always impressed with his weight. So that's a super long post to say it depends on the dog as to whether being over breed guidelines for weight means it is a tubster. I've got a fatty within guidelines and had a ball of muscle that was 30% over guidelines.

With my puppy (now 12 mths old), we go to park first so the dogs can run and sniff for 10-15 mins, then we go for a proper walk. To be honest, I never encourage my dogs to approach other dogs when on leash. Two dogs are tricky by themselves, add another two and you get tangled leads and what not. Some people are nice and ask if it's ok for their dog to say hello. That gives me time to prepare my two. Generally I just call them into a tight heel, keep the leads short and tell them to walk on. My staffy was a bit different and so excited with other dogs approaching. Excited staffies can get mistaken for unruly naughty bitey dogs, particularly with their play bark. So with him, I'd go a short way up a driveway or just well off the path and "park" him. Depending on his excitability he would either be in sit or drop. Once the dog passed we'd resume our walk. As he got older he was more settled but was always so happy and friendly with other dogs.

With your walking on a loose leash, my staffy learned to heel on command (means walk beside you and don't deviate) and then I'd give him his release word and he knew he could go and sniff etc. Call him back to heel and back to uninterrupted walking. Current dogs are learning the same. If you have trouble with them not coming back to heel a short jog works, as they have to zoom to keep up. Return to walk, say heel and walk with purpose.

Sorry, no. I meant the type nail parlours use for acrylics. These have some cheap and nasty ones, but also some fair prices. You can buy the emery refills. I just thought they may be more comfortable to use. http://www.ebay.com.au/bhp/electric-nail-file

Has anyone tried the nail tools for people? Do they do the same job?

Just google reflective tape. You can get 5m x 50mm for $25 on ebay. That would be heaps. Otherwise get a few safety vests from a cheap shop eg reject shop and just cut the tape off.

For riding why don't you put the reflective tape that's used on safety gear on your boots, saddle cloth, down horses tail, on breast plate and have rider in a vest. You'd light up like a Christmas tree then! Driving in the early morning, the reflective strips are significantly more visible than any other lighting on bicycles IME so horses would be the same. Don't think light coloured clothing makes you more visible - it doesn't. The only thing that jumps out is the reflective tape.

Agree re westies and cockers being chalk and cheese! Totally different types of dogs. I'd carefully researched my puppy breed when looking at succession planning for when my staffy died. I like certain things in dogs and after looking at lots of breeds decided on a westie. I like terrier breeds. They fit well with me. The cocker was the result of a random kitchen discussion at work. I wanted a 2-3 year old dog to be a companion for the pup. I'd contacted a lot of westie breeders enquiring about rehoming a retired older dog, but never heard back. The westie is a little livewire. Full of spunk. Exactly what I wanted. He is great with kids and visitors. Not overly vocal, but I spent three months at home with him when I got him so I could deal with that sort of thing. If he barks it is easy to stop. The way I went about picking a breed (I don't like small white fluffies!) was to think of the temperament I like, the build I like and the size in kgs that I wanted. I wanted a spunky, chunky around 10kg dog. I like outgoing animals. He was tiny when he came home. 2.5 kg. I had to cover the drain in the bathroom floor as he was obsessed with it. He was full on as a baby and the cocker and I used to hang out for nap time at around 11am -1pm. The quiet was wonderful. I've had him a year now. He is much more settled. Happy to do his own thing in the garden or cuddle up with me on the couch. He's chewed some things as a pup but I wouldn't say he is destructive. Recall can be an issue but is improving as he ages.

I rehomed a 3 year old cocker from work. I got her a month before I got the westie pup. A neighbour let me know she used to howl when I left home, so I did a few things to address that. She's stopped since I got the pup. Being older and me being her fourth home, I can't really say much on her training. She is what she is. She's quite obedient, knows the basics. Initially, to walk, she was a horror. Pulled like a train. Once I put a choker collar on her I was able to stop her just leaning on the collar and hauling away. She will walk on a loopy lead now, but beginning of every walk is the same. She goes to pull, we stop and sit for a bit. Walk off, she pulls, stop and sit. I figured out early on if something is important to her, she is quite smart. For example, one walk in early summer we stopped at a water fountain for a drink. Everytime we walk past that fountain (only on the way back, not on the way out) she will cut across the path, walk over to the fountain, sit and look at it and wait for a drink. Doesn't walk to any other fountain only the one we used once. When I got her she wouldn't play, which is hard for me as I love to play with my dogs. She showed a glimmer of interest in some stuffed ducks, so we have 6 of those LOL Over the 12 months I've had her she has learned to play from the puppy. Now when I get home they both waggle their teddy of choice at me and we play fetch up the hallway for 10-15 minutes. She loses interest first, so her teddy is thrown first while the westie races around with her holding his teddy and waiting his turn. She is exceptionally submissive, which is also hard for me. If she is in any doubt, she's a dog shaped puddle on the floor. She's getting more confident, which is probably because I am very consistent in how I do things. My reading of the cocker standard (I think) said over submissiveness is a fault. From what I've been able to ascertain she is from a BYB - I've checked her microchip number with all states and none have it, nor do they have a registered litter on her DOB. How much of her behaviour is her and how much a result of her early life, I've no idea. However, she has been excellent with the pup. He is a very confident little chap so she will check him if he oversteps (which is great) but other than that she's been very tolerant with him. At dog park it is rare for her to show interest in, let alone play with, another dog. When she does play she sounds like she wants to kill it. I would have fixed that when she was a pup, but she engages so little with other dogs the opportunity to work on it is limited. The dog owners have been ok with her playing, as her play style is very nice, it's just her growling. She is excellent with young children and visitors. She sits quietly waiting for attention. She'd been clipped all over when I got her. I've grown her hair out as I want her to look like a proper cocker. I found she knotted a lot more when her coat was short. Once it got past a certain length it gets fewer tangles. A lovely breeder showed me how to groom, so I do that myself. Having been clipped she's great for me to learn on as she's used to clippers. Every 4-6 weeks she gets a full groom that strips her coat, clips hair between her paw pads, clips head, ears, throat. Still working out how frequently I need to use the #8 comb to clip her front legs. They're so fluffy she was heading towards a monoleg look, which was not good! She gets a full body brush / comb as well and tail shaping. Full groom takes about 2 hours. I'm not good at it yet, but there is a lot to do. I generally end up with a shopping bag full of hair. Weekly both dogs get a brush and comb. They don't get many tangles at all. That said, neither dog drops much hair at all. I wear a lot of dark colours and am never covered in dog hair. Apart from her oversubmissiveness I can't think of much wrong with the cocker. They have a bit of a reputation for not being the sharpest tacks in the box, but I think that may come down to finding the right motivation for them. She's a good girl and she tries, which is the important thing. She loves snuggling and pats. Has a decent bark when she uses it.

I get my dogs to roll over to do nails. The westie pup was a bit anxious about being rolled and his feet being touched, so I made it a game in the morning when he jumps on the bed to roll him over, rub his tummy and play with his feet and nails. These days if he doesn't get rolled in a timely fashion he runs down around my feet and up the other side and rolls himself over for snuggles LOL He is stoic about getting his nails trimmed, but a very good boy. I had a friend clip out his feet for the first couple of times, so I could keep him calm and he was very good with that and I clip them myself these days.

I know what you mean re rotties and heat. Check out the Belgian malinois on the DOL photos thread. They're at the bottom of the first page. Look a bit German shepherd like, but are stunning. Probably a better build than a rotti for hot humid weather. I know nothing about the breed, but you could research to see if they are suitable. Maybe even PM their owner. Did I mention I thought they were gorgeous LOL I think they are an active dog, so may fail your point 5 requirement.

The nova scotia duck tolling retrievers are lovely dogs. My staffy might have been an exception, but he was very social and dog friendly. Loved everyone. I put a lot of work in when he was a puppy to socialise him. He loved nothing more than romping at dog park or having a dog come to visit. He was an entire dog for the majority of his life (desexed due to cancer at 11). He went to play with my friends young toller when he was getting on a bit. Everytime the pup got a bit too enthusiastic he'd body slam him into the cement or the wall. It was his way of saying tone it down junior. I agree with a poster above. Small dogs are more common because you can neglect their training and whist they will be irritating, they aren't the problem an untrained big dog is. When I went to visit my cocker to see if we'd get on, they had a huge golden retriever as well. That thing raced up to me and just about knocked me to the ground when it jumped on me. The lady was surprised I wasn't scared of it. I was ticked off it dared to touch me. But that sort of dog (untrained) wouldn't be good with young kids. Kids were apprehensive of my staffy until they saw his tricks. They always loved "bang" where you pretend to shoot him and he dies. Once he'd done his tricks they'd play with him for ages.

What type of dogs are they huski? They have huge shoulders and chests. Very gorgeous:)