Mairead

I remember talking to a politician who was in the crowd at the rally about Greyhound racing in Sydney. When I mentioned if [Mike Baird] wants to ban it because some people do the wrong thing he needs to ban the Catholic church too. And Parliament she said.

Need to ban clergy for the welfare of children. Ban men for the welfare of women and children.

I have heard of coat change in longhaired dogs but haven't noticed it in my shorthaired (not pug) dogs. Three weeks is a bit soon for a hormonal change. Has the diet changed?

As happens in far too many cases, the dog may have been already beyond and below the state of health where it should have been euthanized, and was defending itself the only way it knew.

A couple of timewasters.

Nightwish has a song "Noise" which is about some characteristics of the online world. " ...your mirror is black, only a copy stares back, to a slave of Brave New World ..." The video clip shows some people taking selfies, even when someone is being beaten up behind them for watching the wrong screen, some staring at blank phone screens, and people ignoring the beauty of the outside world.

You will be buying a sentient being not a handbag. You are applying to be considered for an adoption. Dedicated breeders have put time and effort into the process and you should respect that. The application form etc is to hopefully weed out impulse buyers who have seen a dog in a movie and want one NOW because it is "so cute" and obviously born well-trained and impeccably groomed.

Who would want to clip a dangerous dog? If it has been declared a dangerous dog then the breeder will not be allowed to take it back but they still might want to know about it. But first are you sure that is the breed? Looking at the rescue sites there are some wild guesses there. I'm wondering why it is still around if it has attacked three people? Were all the attacks reported? Would you and your neighbours be willing to put their names to a letter to your council? Poor dog obviously in the wrong situation and with the wrong owner. Touch wood I've only had two dog bites that broke the skin. A Silkie Terrier and a second-hand Cattle dog that the rescue place forgot to mention had been declared a dangerous dog.

I know of a Greyhound breeder who breeds with older animals, males and females. She doesn't want to "improve" (= change) just preserve. And as she keeps some puppies, the longer time between generations makes sense. People used to breed early before the dogs died of distemper or something else. Some still keeping to that old adage.

I found an Anatolian Shepherd that had crossed a six lane road and three suburbs. Very self contained dog, seemed long-sighted, not demonstrative at all. Took three of us to get him into the back of my wagon. His Turkish family was very happy to get him back. His name was Kubla.

The only declared dangerous dog I have seen in my suburb is a Labrador.

Humans are the most dangerous animal to other humans.

Japanese Spitz is listed in one of the links.

Asal, they were at a training course at Lucas Heights which is where the nuclear reactor is, so not a public area? And workers there probably have to decontaminate after shift so not too many people outside? The surrounds with the houses used to have the same suburb name but is now called Barden Ridge.

All good advice Dogs, but OP hasn't visited since Nov 3.

If a dog is left in a car in a carpark there are usually some people who are willing to smash a window but also people who know how to break in.

It is living beings involved not handbags. Maybe you have been lucky so far and no one has come back later to steal from you. But there is a network of breeders who share stories. For example of people pretending to be buyers but who were actually working for export agents.

I kept Valium on hand for New Year's Eve. For the dogs. I only know snoods as the elastic-at-each-end tubes used to keep Afghan hound's very long ear fringes out of their food and clean. I have heard of the ceremony of the cutting of the ear fringes when a top show dog is retiring.

Are you up to date with veterinary costs (routine and emergency), flea control costs, council regulations, local dog training clubs, boarding or petsitting costs? I wouldn't recommend board and train. Training is a daily and ongoing part of dog owning that you need to learn. If you don't teach your dog manners it could provoke another dog and come off worse. Never walk your dog while wearing headphones or earbuds or looking at your phone, and don't go to a cafe or dogpark and not keep an eye on your dog the whole time.

Going to a registered breeder or ethical rescue group I would compare to buying your car from a long established car dealership rather than from someone parked on the side of the road with a 'for sale' sign on the car. If you want a quick bargain expect there will be risks. Do you have a specific breed in mind and why do you want a puppy rather than, say, an older dog that has maybe grown too tall or not tall enough? Have a read of the ads elsewhere on this site for Breeders, Puppies for Sale and Older Dogs for Sale. That will give you an idea of what health tests breeders are doing but remember it is still a gamble, like shuffling and dealing from a deck of cards. As breeders we try to make sure we have as many good cards in the deck as we can. It is a risk letting strangers come to your home which is why some photos may look staged to you, and you may have to fill in an application form and let the breeder get to know you before visiting. Many breeders will have kennels because bitches in season need to be kept secure and you cannot have all your dogs in a house at once. A person with a couple of dogs only as house pets may be in partnership with another breeder, or they may be someone who doesn't know what they are doing but just loves puppies, or thinks it is easy money, and breeds from the same pair repeatedly. Look in the Events section to see what events are on near you and go along to see the different dogs and how they behave. Don't be surprised to see some dogs in crates (cages) at the events that is for the dogs' safety. That's probably enough homework for now.

Makes a change from the dogs that look like coffee tables.

He doesn't look purebred so he may have some of a breed that goes through a skinny stage.

Unusual to see the term median used rather than average, but if it is a cut and paste exercise ...

A Border Collie may not be the best fit as an assistance dog. What do you want the dog to do? If you have not trained or owned a dog before a puppy may not be the best choice for your first dog. Assistance Dogs Australia may be your best first stop. Or disability organisations.

The cat didn't walk silently on wooden floors but made a clicking sound.