John W

So my little girl (Boston Terrier 10 mnths) chases any bug that flies and eats it and she's pretty good at it. Moths being a particular favourite. I do my best to discourage her and when I'm around can, but she'll find herself on her own never the less and fill her boots with moths and gnats and whatever. My worry is bees, wasps etc which I know she'll go for when she comes across them. Part of me, a big part actually, sorta hopes she grabs one and get stung because that'll teach her more than anything I can do but..... ... should I be worried? What if she swallows one and gets stung in her throat? Or should I just let that happen so she learns the hard way?

Thanks for that. Ripley was the result of a lot of research to get the right breed for me - or more importantly that me and the home and lifestyle I could provide would be right for the dog. 2nd step was making sure I found a breeder where I could see the parents and indeed previous litter (there was only one but 5 beautiful pups now beautiful healthy dogs). If I could give any advice to potential owners it would be know the standards you'd accept and then don't go below them just because of availability.

Bite inhibition training.... faked... for dramatic effect - just to show you got to take one for the team.

You can plant a hedge. Get a mature Lilli Pilli or similar. I'm doing my whole backyard fenceline with them for privacy, getting 1.8-2.0m mature for $110 au each (mind you I'm getting 12 so there's some discount there for quantity). Dog won't try and jump a hedge, also give you some privacy from that neighbours window.

As if she owns it, which I guess she does. The amount of people when I tell them her name that then assume she's a boy... I always think - do they not know? Galaxy's greatest hero and they DO NOT KNOW?!?!?

For the record. I got my girl and she's magnificent if a bit naughty and an awesome farter - clear rooms, clear houses, clear neighborhoods. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHd1DZaQYfQTj-NP-TAR0fA?view_as=subscriber

Thanks for that post and the links. It's the sort of personal experience advise I was after. I'm gonna mix it all up a bit. Drive down to the shopping centre to just to walk among crowds. Do puppy socialisation classes and maybe even extend it into some basic training courses (just for the socialisation with dogs, though I'll take whatever I learn on board) and yeah I think I will use a doggy daycare once a week or fortnight just to make some doggy friends. I've found one that has cameras in the place so you can spy in on your smart-phone to satisfy yourself you're getting what you want.

Well thanks for that, it's the kind of info I'm after - how it works socialising your dog. Dogsandthemob I'm in a semi-rural area just turning to the edge of suburbia so walks in the park and around the neighbourhood is fine and I will be doing that, but I just know that I could walk around for hours and there's no guarantee I'm going to come across many people or dogs to socialise with. That's why I'm after something.... regular. ESPECIALLY at the beginning. I'm looking for something to expose the pup to as many other dogs (especially) and people as I can. That's why the thought of doggy day care come up. I'm not looking for some place to "pen" him/her (as yet undecided), I have no need for dog-sitting. I'm looking for something as westiemum describes above just for the socialisation alone. There is a place near me (Morisset) that's very similar to WM's link, same practices I would think, looks like a doggy amusement park. I spoke to them via Facebook and they say the dogs are always under supervision (as I would expect) and it would be a good place to socialise my doggy and they work on it - but of course they would say that wouldn't they. Socialising through walks, picnics etc, I gotta be realistic that none of that I think is gonna be enough exposure and sporadic at best. Finding a place of repute and all the rest is up to me - and I will. I just want to know if it's a good option, if it works.

I'm getting a staffie next year, didn't arrive at the choice ill-informed or by whim. I've researched hard on breeds for a match and then on both of the specific breed and breeders and I'm confident in my choice. I think I got most things covered but a little concerned on my options for socialising the dog. I want it comfortable in the presence of other people and other dogs and other situations. I know a lot of that is up to me and I'll do the best I can and I'll start from day one. but there's only so much I can do without seeming like the weird bloke following people around with his dog. A walk around the neighborhood will only do so much and there's no guarantee I'll come across many people or other dogs anyway, no guarantee they'll want anything to do with me or my dog anyway. There'll be constant visitors to the home, but it'll be comfortable there and they'll mostly be the same people anyway. Sooooo, I was wondering, is it worthwhile dropping it in doggy day-care once a week or fortnight or more or less? for no other reason than for it to meet and play with other dogs and other people under supervision? I have no need at all for dog-sitting as I work from home, but I'm just wondering if it's good for socialising for socialisings sake?

I was interested reading this, and the replies. And yes I acknowledge there's many legit reasons a breeder just doesn't answer you, but having been enquiring about puppies for 6 months now I share Heath's frustration. Like I said, I acknowledge people are busy and all the rest - but when a breeder adverstises puppies for sale now or soon as per the search filters on this very site (Dogzonline) and even more frustrating they've got their own website where you go to and they ask you to "contact us" via this online form or supplied email or even supplied phone number - and you don't get an answer, not by online form or supplied email and phone number AND message bank, NOTHING, NADA, EVER. It is very frustration. I honestly started thinking and maybe I still do that's there's a clique or protocol that breeders won't share with us common plebs. I reckon I've approached in a number of ways, all requested ways by notices on this site or the breeders own website, somewhere around a dozen plus breeders of researched (by me) "repute" and only two of them have bothered to get back to me. Thankfully both of them having after getting to know me and the home I could provide for one of their puppies are confident they can provide me with a puppy next year some time (and they both know I'm dealing with them both, I haven't kept them in the dark just to keep my options open). So all I'd say to breeders, if you're busy or you only do business one way and all the rest - fine, your business. But please take all the contact details off your profile on this site and your own website (if you got one), if you don't want to be contacted or just won't answer any enquiries - please don't invite them.

I was on this forum a few months back asking for advice on Boston Terriers as I'm semi-retiring in March, moving into a house (currently in a unit) and i want a dog to grow old with me. Over the last few months though I've been leaning more and more now to a staffy, I have my reasons not least of which is the robust health of a fit staffy. Which brings me to my query. I've been going through the registered breeders on this site and frankly there's a squillion of them and I know from stories related to myself there's... let's just say some breeders more concerned with the health of the breed than others who are more concerned with the colour. Personally I'm very very skeptical of breeders promoting colours, particularly the latest fad dog - the blues, because I just wonder if they're breeding for colour, what about the rest of it? I want a dog (bitch, which will be de-sexed) bred for health above everything else, but I don't know where to start sorting through that list. Because I'm on the Central Coast of NSW I'd like one close, but if not at least in NSW, because I want to go see the kennels. Now I'll be a bit hypocritical here after mentioning my skepticism of breeding for colour, but I'd really like a red. I'm not exclusive on it but I would prefer. Am I risking what I'm trying to avoid looking for one? Second choice is black, same risk? again I'm not red black or nothing about it, just preference. The only colours I rule out is white, because I had a white cat once that I was forever applying sunscreen to and it still got melanomas, and pied because.... well... without meaning to discriminate... i want a pretty dog, and blues because I just don't trust the "breed for blue" way. Anyone with any breeder recommendations or advice on how to find them, or on picking a good staffy or anything you got for me is appreciated.You can PM me if you prefer not naming recommended breeders publicly (or the ones to avoid). Thank you in advance.

Thanks for all that Boston, have PM'd you and anything you'd like to add you can respond by PM if you wish. I DO want your advice, definitely do.

I have messaged him, but he hasn't posted anything on this forum since 2017 so I'm not holding my breath.

The one I'm referring to says they expect to have puppies available in the time-frame I'll be looking and have invited me to apply - I have to pass their test as an owner, which I take as a good sign. But again, I'd like to know if I can name them on here and see if anyone's had any experience with them either first hand or word of mouth with any of the breeds they breed - good or bad. But I don't want to breach forum etiquette if there's a no naming policy, So, can I?

Am I allowed on these forums to directly name a breeder to ask if anyone's had any experience and/or opinions on them? The breeder in question breeds a number of breeds, not just Boston Terriers, for show. The premises all look professional and clean via their photo's but I'd like to know if they've got a reputation that people know of, either good or bad.