Mairead

There used to be a bread delivery box in my sunroom off the kitchen. It was closed off on the outside after a kid broke into the house by using it. But if you have a neutral sign "dog on premises" with a neutral drawing of a dog that may be enough. I have a sign on the front door "never mind the dog, beware of the owner" which is pretty accurate.

I might feel like scooting too if that was done to me.

People may not realise there is a post here because of the blank space. Better change it. Choice magazine (should be available in your local library) looked into pet insurance a while ago and I believe even gave it a Shonky Award because it was such a useless system. Maybe it has changed. I never used it because it wasn't worth the money. It may have exclusions for preexisting conditions and advanced age. You may be better off putting money aside each week for emergencies. If you think that is impossible go see a free financial advisor. You may want to have a chat with the vet about possible future health problems and how to prevent them or recognise them early. Wait and see is never a good idea. Get a detailed quote before deciding on treatment. The amount to spend? As much as it takes for the quality of life of the animal that is your responsibility for all of its life.

Kids don't seem to have enough people looking out for them, so what chance for companion animals, or even lower on the value scale, livestock? I read a while ago that one feedlot in Queensland only had a bit of shade provided, and only for the Wagyu animals because buyers made a fuss. "The law is an ass" (from the 1600s, popularised by Charles Dickens)

So you don't know if the child has been seen by an allergy specialist? People tend to diagnose themselves with Dr Google, even ChatGPT or social media which is why I ask. A pet-friendly doctor would be one who doesn't always jump to anti-pet solutions or assume that the pet is the problem. The child's symptoms (what are they?) may be due to something else or may be temporary while their immune system learns.

Are the owners absolutely sure that the child's problem is due to the dog? Has a (pet-friendly) doctor been involved in the diagnosis?

Wouldn't that be secret men's business? Maybe ask at a men's shed. They can show you how to do it.

The link goes to an unrelated story. Meanwhile... trove.nla.gov.au the site for old newspapers etc has mentions of kangaroo dogs or kangaroo hounds going back to at least the mid 1800s. Exhibited at shows in classes for smooth or rough coated (so deerhound ancestry too) and back then a female animal was called a sl*t. Many dog encyclopedias mention them and searching kangaroo dog in in images has some interesting sites. The book "A Very Elegant Animal The Dingo" by Roland Breckwoldt has photos (from the National Library of Australia) taken around 1900 showing that aborigines still living a traditional life were using the dogs " the colonials named "kangaroo dogs" " rather than dingos. Be warned the trove site is addictive - articles, news items, court reports, advertising, photos, line drawings, dog show reports etc

The fines are an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, damage has already been done.

Do you have any paperwork or documents for this dog? Any with your name on them? A receipt of sale?

Is there anything available through TAFE? Private providers once had a reputation for being "tick and flick", take your money and give you a useless certificate, so be careful. Maybe look at some trainer's websites, vet's puppy schools, see if they mention any qualifications.

Charlie13 only posted twice in 2014. You can see this info by clicking on the name. Many people view but do not post, but we can't tell who they are.

If it is the human that the dog is missing another dog won't cure the problem and the neighbour may end up with two barking dogs next door. A complex situation that needs to be investigated thoroughly.

Dosages are often less for sighthounds than for average dogs.

You guys must be a nightmare for the marketing people - informed and discerning consumers! Marketing is the work of the devil.

I have only had one dog some years ago who developed separation anxiety after I had stayed home when she had puppies then returned to work. I did the behavioural things in vogue then, saw a behaviour specialist vet who I felt was not treating her as an individual. Nothing was working. My greyhound specialist vet suggested Valium prior to me leaving. It worked very well as a management tool but I wouldn't say it was a cure. When the vet asked me how the Valium was I said "it's wonderful, I'm thinking of taking some myself". It is still recommended (as are other drugs) in Uni of Sydney Behaviour Proceedings 390 (2010) but may need long term use (6-12 months) before trying to taper off so baseline blood tests and regular monitoring are suggested. I can quote some more of the Sydney Uni conference book and a book they recommend if you are interested. Is the owner anxious? Is it possible the neighbour is making the situation worse?

You need to get a proper diagnosis from a qualified vet first. Greyhound specialist vets are used to dealing with bone, tendon and muscle problems.

Did I also notice older guy with loose dog argued with female but took notice of the other male? Dominance aggression?

Two sovereign citizens. Usually they are a solitary species.

And what did you use to worm her? Did you weigh her to get the dose right?

Good people are out there. I was in one of three cars (me and dog groomer from the purebred dog world, and pet Staffie owners in third car) that pulled over to assist with three stray Basenjis on the side of the freeway. I caught the bitch in season (it was that time of year), other people caught the two males. The dog groomer phoned her husband to bring crates and then phoned a prominent person in the Basenji scene. The traffic emergency response vehicle pulled in, then stopped traffic so we could safely continue. The Basenji Club sent me a thankyou letter. And some people (many people?) think we are only in it to make money.

Chihuahua pups Noosa (Debbie) and Michelle (Chihuahua pups Deception Bay?), you might want to start using a "puppy application form" and a waiting list to help separate the wheat from the chaff, the tyrekickers and impulse buyers from the genuinely interested. Another option would be to keep buyer's first pup from you in joint ownership until they seem OK. Third option is take up a different hobby that isn't as much hassle.

And some rescue dogs get a pass too. Also not helped by all those clips where people laugh and think it is "so cute" when a dog (especially a small dog) feels so threatened it growls and snaps. As T would say, Grrr.

Would whoever wrote that headline bother to find out some facts?

Two rangers arrived promptly when I phoned on a Sunday about a Boer goat. I told one of them the goat wasn't tame. The other one, in my opinion, didn't assess the situation first but approached the goat with a catchpole. I was trying to herd next door's kids (pun intended, they are just as undomesticated as the goat was) away from the area but the goat ran up the driveway straight over the smallest kid who fell onto the concrete. No health and safety in evidence for that event.