Sheridan

I don't have any great hope of the Dremel either but I don't want Him to end up like Howard Hughes! Thanks for the input. I can but try.

May be a strange question...do you think that those highly competative in your sport could potentially be doing exactly the same as they do in Greyhound racing to improve performance? I don't think it's a strange question; I think it's a really rude question. Why would you even ask that? They chase plastic bags.

Yet the RSPCA is becoming stridently anti-dog in its literature. You'd think it was pro-dog it would support ethical pedigree dog breeders but nope, pedigree dogs are sick and deformed. Just because the people you've spoken to love their dogs doesn't mean the organisation is pro-dog. They've not demonstrated they're pro-dog and this lure coursing stance was pushed by them, wasn't it? Not a pro-dog stance. Oh, ETA to say that doyen of the AR whacko movement Peter Singer will be on Q&A tonight. The ad apparently suggests they'll discuss the ethics of pet ownership. SBS has been publishing anti-breeding articles for some time, too.

The whole thing only has the status of a recommendation right now. If the NSW Government has half a brain it will not adopt these Recommendations given the shaky basis on which they were made (no consultation, no understanding of the sport). But remember that the NSW RSPCA did want it to extend to all sighthounds. The Commission didn't go that far, but it is a warning shot from the RSPCA about how far it wants to intrude into people's pet owning. I note also tho' that both the QLD and Vic RSPCA run lure coursing at their public days including the MPW in Victoria. So, left hand, right hand... I think the key words are 'If the NSW government has half a brain.' I've not yet seen evidence of this. They seem to be swallowing the RSPCA line wholesale. And the RSPCA doesn't like dogs.

yes, quite possibly, though she settles down reasonably quickly. My issues with baby steps is that I do actually have to go out the front door. It's the only way out if the house so if I need to go shopping or just put something in the wheelie bins, that's the way I have to go. I had a guy come in and she's actually got worse. Treats do not work. Oddly, if I leave them crated when I go to work, there's no barking at all. It's when I have a plastic bag of rubbish or similar.

No, let's say lots more. I would like to see the press release that accompanied the study because I bet it will be almost word for word what it says in the article. The actual conclusion is of low diversity not no diversity. And? The diversity is so low in the breed that the significant health issues and poor longevity associated with the breed cannot be corrected without an outcross. Except it says might not will. It behooves the media and people who read these things and report them to actually report correctly.

Okay, so here's one. Bunny barks hysterically if I go out the front door. Sorry, but I do have to do that sometimes. She's crated as is Roo and it doesn't matter if the crate is covered, if she in her bedroom crate or the crate in the loungeroom. One trainer said, give them something to occupy them. Toys don't work, treats don't worlk. Nothing works. I've tried everything. Bully sticks, pig's ears, kongs, deer ears/antlers, biscuits, everything. It's to the extent that if I pick up a plastic bag she barks because she associates it with me going out the front as that's where my bins are. She'll stop if I walk over to her but that's what she wants and me ignoring the behaviour doesn't stop it.

thanks, TSD. Please don't assume I'm not 'putting in'. I've tried loads of things. I do walk them separately already. The aggression is mainly at other dogs, usually same size or smaller. When they're wound up they won't take treats at all so getting them to sit on beds us very difficult. If I take out Bunny, Roo barks until we get home. I crate him and he can shift his crate across the room. Bunny recognises friends cars, BTW, and doesn't bark. She doesn't bark at my car.

So, I've been having issues with Bunny. She is a barker, which I would like to put a stop to. She also has become fairly dog aggressive, particularly with small dogs and does referral aggression onto other objects. I understand this is frustration but it's also become habit, as she can do the referral when nothing else is going on. It doesn't help that she has the most annoying little brother ever. He winds her up. . This has come about partly because next door has a new fence and now can't see out so is barking much more. Bunny is generally fine when the dog is over the other side of its yard but she has a meltdown when the dog comes over to our side, not least because there is stuff between the shed and the wall which makes a huge banging sound. Bunny is fairly noise sensitive. I've blocked off the fence on my side but of course, that's no use unless I can get the other side blocked off. I've been to the neighbours but they don't ever seem to answer the door. Besides this is my issue and need to resolve it myself. Both have become reactive to cars in the street. I've tried playing car noises, car doors slamming from sound effects albums but none of them sound like those in the street. Advice needed!

Maybe the RSPCA needs a new building.

The Stylus doesn't seem to be available anymore.

My Roo loathes having his nails done. Or as his breeder puts it, 'Wheatens and their bloody feet.' It has taken 3 people to hold him and then he still defeats us. I thought trying a Dremel might be less traumatic for him and us. Are there specific doggy nail Dremels or do people get them from hardware stores? Links to what people use?

Yep. And if they weren't so crowing about killing a pile of dogs would probably have the AR whackos on another day up in arms about battery hen conditions.

No, let's say lots more. I would like to see the press release that accompanied the study because I bet it will be almost word for word what it says in the article. The actual conclusion is of low diversity not no diversity.

Let's not forget that when Harrison visited DOL she admitted the example of the awful boxer wasn't actually a pedigree dog and wouldn't answer other questions. She hotfooted it away shortly after and never returned.

I see what you mean but as I said above, polcing our own is fraught with difficulties.

I have pedigree dogs. I don't receive money for them. I shell out a lot of money for them. I do not belong to an industry. I belong to a dog club. That's what the state bodies are. They're clubs. You're not the only one who talks about animal industries but it's not.

According to AR groups, of which I count the RSPCA as one, yes. If people who have read the report, and the example of lure coursing as the example, don't think this is a shot at pet owners then they're delusional.

Did you read what she wrote? And did anyone read what Diva wrote upthread? I will tell you where the companion animal phase out stuff kicks in. There are two Recommendations in that report that have nothing to do with Greyhound racing, but which, if implemented, would penalise pet dog owners that the report itself acknowledges are law abiding and NOT engaging in live baiting. It's important to understand that the original policy position of the NSW RSPCA when lobbying on these Recommendations was that any coursing heritage breed - whippets, afghans, salukis etc - should be required to be registered on a special "coursing register" even if all the dog ever did was sit on the couch. This registration would have then invoked the provisions of the POCTAA which would have meant that you could not have potential bait animals in your home even if at no time in your life you ever engaged in amateur racing or lure coursing. So the NSW RSPCA wanted people to have to pick between their pet whippet and their pet cat. If that is not BSL, and a shot across the bows of pet ownership, I don't know what is. The Commission didn't go that far, but it did not speak to any representatives of lure coursing or to DogsNSW when it formulated recommendations that would require anyone engaging in the amateur sport of lure coursing to put their dogs on an additional register and give up their pet cats and chooks. Again, the report concedes they have no proof anyone in amateur dog sport is live baiting, but they think we might. If the Commission had even come out and viewed an event it would have seen that it is impossible to stick a bait animal on our lure coursing lines given the tie down pulleys that are used. It's ignorance, and while you can say "oh well, I don't have a whippet so whatever" next time it might be you and your dog that somebody who knows zip about your dogs and your sport decides to use as a policy wedge. I can tell you that being in the firing line of this stuff tends to be a wake up call. Terriers chase things, too.

Loads and loads of grooming. Wheatens have to be brushed and combed out to the skin generally daily. There's the awful orange fuzzies stage where you spend an hour getting out a mat only to start again five minutes later to find it's matted all over again. Great for bonding with your dog but also great for lots of swearing.

I let them know that either SMS or a phone call at their convenience would be fine for me. I hope that it was ok to send it! I just thought this breeder was wonderful and I don't want to miss out because I didn't follow the right protocol, if that makes sense. You're doing great.

Maybe SMS and say, 'I hope it's okay to SMS you.' That way the breeder can say to call if that's what is preferred.

I don't have an objection to regulation but there's an awful lot of regulation already. Other posters have pointed out that GRNSW is a NSW Government body, which automatically deletes it from the self-regulation category anyway. Where was GRNSW in this? Pedigree dog breeders belong to their state ANKC body. Has a Code of Ethics but it is not a regulatory body. Dog breeders have to comply with whatever state laws there are about dog breeding so where is self-regulation in this? State bodies are, at best, just dog clubs. They have no policing powers whatsoever.

excellent point. look at the wonderful job the churches has done to "police our own" on the pedophile front. about time they were shut down too. I think its the whole idea of 'our own' Vs 'theirs' Multiple environments rather than shared environment. That environment can go, Its standard identity is foreign to 'our own'. Theres IS no common identity to account. Its all 'Other' to 'standards' of identity. See, this is why I failed as an academic. I don't write like ^.

True in all facets.