Mairead

There is a poem that may help you make the decision: The Last Battle (poem, not novel) It starts "If it should be that I grow frail and weak ...

Ten year old large/giant breeds dog. I wonder if it had undiagnosed or untreated medical issues.

In the days before widespread microchips, the Petsearch newsletter had many stories of dogs being "on the lam" for many days and travelled considerable distances. The Anatolian Shepherd I found was from a few suburbs away and had crossed a six lane road.

I heard a story of a tourist asking (in an African safari park?), why didn't they feed the lions a vegan diet? The tour guide replied that it was because there weren't enough vegans available.

The supplied photo from Virgin tells me I might not want to be on a flight with those owners.

"400 people applied to adopt Harry". I would like to know how many were suitable homes and if they went on to adopt another dog. Or were they only interested in a famous dog, or a broken dog? It sounds like the right decision was made for him to have a mentor dog.

Saying it was a terrier show is very poor reporting. You might be imagining a dispute over a stripping knife.

The NSW Police News site mentions Raptor Squad was involved. They deal with "serious and organised crime".

Something like a licence before you get a pet?

Not kennel hands, specially trained dog nannies. I looked it up.

And don't forget injuries (and worse) caused by that most dangerous animal the human. Often done with accessories such as ladders, power tools and cars. I advised people holding leashes, especially at lure coursing, to put the loop over their wrist for the dog's safety. When two St Bernards were dragging their owner towards my dogs I yelled out "Get at right angles to them". It would be interesting to know how many injuries involved harnesses and flexileads = no control.

Three puppies in one litter with cleft palate-cleft lip complex sounds like infection (lack of vaccination?) or toxins (poisons or medications) in pregnancy . Or someone accidentally bred two brachycephalic (shortnosed) dogs without health tests that they purchased from a eucalyptus tree site or similar. Inheritance for this complex is simple recessive or irregular dominant. Ref: Veterinary Pediatrics 3rd Edition Johnny D. Hoskins (Ed)

There was a segment on this on Radio National Breakfast this morning, Monday. The person interviewed, Michelle Robertson, said most of the dogs they had were mixed breeds, mixes of working dogs, Kelpies, mastiffs and staffies.

I have had this happen with adolescent sighthounds.There is nothing wrong with having a greyhound or sighthound build! If he is very active he may just have a marathon runner's physique, very lean, or his hormones are not doing him any favours. If he is otherwise healthy (and not losing weight) I wouldn't worry and wouldn't add anything except perhaps carefully add some extra oil, or feed another small balanced meal.

One post, to complain, and you chose that name.