Christina

How lovely to hear about someone who does a good job & goes the extra mile So many complaints now about poor service, poor people skills & everyone rushing. Sometimes just people whingeing but sadly often true too. He sounds like a nice, kind man. Hope your dog is ok.

People are gullible when it comes to buying dogs as they often don't know or wonder if certain claims are true. A cute puppy picture melts the heart & the brain :) The person may genuinely believe the dog is long haired & this is the usual. A recent ad I saw was for small cross breeds & the breeder stated in the ad that they were a registered breeder with the NSW Canine Association. They may well be but not for the pups being sold for sure but someone looking for a puppy may not know that & be impressed & reassured Like most people I always thought that Labs were a short coated breed & that is what I would expect when buying one.

The proposal is ludicrous. There should be a difference in penalty for someone who deliberately sets their dog on a person or whose dog has a known history of attack than for a person who owns a dog with no history or past indications where the dog has attacked out of the blue. Even murder & manslaughter have this difference considered. The law has penalties it can impose along with banned from owning a dog for life. Many charges can be laid to increase sentencing too. Life sentence rarely means serving 14 years anyway for many cases. This seems to be a popularity/look we are doing something response. Some people would bring back flogging in the public square or a university degree & 10 licences to own a dog depending on their experiences with dogs, culture, upbringing & personality. Not minimising the seriousness of dog attacks but people are the biggest attackers, killers & risks to other people. In proportion of all deaths dog attack comes low on the list in ratio to dogs owned. Locking up people for life who are a risk to public safety is one thing but for an idiot with a dog its best to remove the dog & not let them ever have another.

No, its ripping the whole toe joint out. Some people think its just removing the nail but if it was the nail would grow back. I normally take pups to the vet to have them removed but don't bother about any I keep however having a breed where they don't catch, are not a problem unless left to grow & having few pups who go mostly to people who have had or currently have one & are well up on the grooming This year I have left them on & written on the grooming sheet & explained that there is no reason to remove a whole toe in case the owner does not check or clip the nail, a 30 second job & to please do this as it can grow into the skin & cause pain & infection. I couldn't do an amputation & dragging them out to the vet at a few days old is a drama. On some breeds or individual dogs that are larger & high energy they can be very loose & dangly though & I can see how they may catch on things.

Apart from his suggestion of buying puppies from accredited pet shops I can't see what is so wrong with him saying we have laws to deal with this if they are used. He is right in that. No state or government is going to ban pet shop sales. That is now very obvious. Instead of more rules & laws that no state or body can agree upon & many lunatic or unworkable proposals enforcing the laws & maximum sentencing we have would be a much better solution. So much can be done & it just isn't. Often much is done over minor matters when it shouldn't have been.

The barking may be because its a new place & they haven't settled in yet. Letting the dogs meet out the front on leads to get to know each other may be a good start but basically if its your dog trying to tear down the fence to get into their yard at their dogs its your dogs that have to be controlled whether their dogs bark or not. To a certain degree dogs are allowed to bark in their own yard as long as its not constant. The fact that yours react is not their problem. Now if they were left out there all night & barked all night & kept you awake that would be different.

If people on here in just a few posts cannot agree on what is the right or wrong way to keep dogs no wonder these laws & rules that are currently being discussed are all over the place. From the small parts made public it looked bad however there are always more charges put forward, many being for minor matters so often the charges are bargained down to less if they agree to plead guilty to some. Yes it looked awful & I would not want my dogs kept that way or purchase from anywhere similar but the cage sizes probably met the recommended ones in the code of welfare. Had no idea that hundreds of owners left dogs without water at night or no bedding. Surely all the dogs owned did not eat their bedding & there are alternatives like straw. A cold concrete kennel or dirt floor is not a fit bed for any dog. This is not what I would want to see as the normal or accepted way to keep dogs but I assume from the results of this & pending prosecution that current welfare laws are sufficient to be utilised when acted upon ?

Microchip technology is the answer & in SA it will work in time to identify dogs from SA dog registered pedigree dogs as for the last couple of years a pup has to be microchipped to be registered & get its papers & most breeders do comply. Code of ethics states all litters must be registered which leads to the question If the dogs looks purebred & the microchip is checked with Dogs SA to show breed & breeder (if not in microchip data ) will info on dogs entering for adoption or euthanasia be recorded accurately & will the breeder be informed & given the chance to take, purchase or save the dog ? Very sad that they would not work with rescue re the Italian Greyhounds but that is standard response to any breed or rescue group for some unknown reason.

Yes this is what I want to know. Dogs from SA canine association registered breeders. Interested in how much the pedigree dog world actually contributes to this problem. Not a lot I imagine but there should be documented info.

Can't even imagine the horror of all that for you & your dog. Had a couple of dead pups but not many in ratio of how many I have bred. For the future after that you would be able to either cope with anything or totally crack up if there were any problems. In your shoes I would never breed again. Would be not much pleasure or joy in that experience. Just sheer relief that pups & mum survived. You must have been so tired too.

Does anyone know if there are any figures or specific information on how many known pedigree dogs there are in these places ? Meaning for adoption or euthanised. Not found & returned to owner. I am not meaning look alike breed guesses & adverts for certain breeds that end up looking like crosses or a bit like the breed. Specifically 100% certain that it is a pedigree dog of that breed. Any source of info appreciated. Thank you.

Generally I find mine don't need it. If mum seems restless I will try some but that is so rare here, only ever happened twice. With dogs that have big litters I would think it can't do any harm past whelping as there is a limit to how much food their stomach can hold & feeding a big litter is more draining. Opinion keeps changing but research suggests it can interfere with natural production of calcium giving it before the bitch has the pups. The most important thing is to recognise when there is a problem & act fast. Sometime a breeder can do & feed everything right as advised or recommended & eclampsia can happen while others may be a bit slack or less knowledgeable & it never happens. Vet nurses aren't expert on breeding or nutrition but they are trained on what to do in a medical emergency/issue concerning them as in whelp problems or starving dog needing treatment. The nutrition advice was her personal opinion/preference. Its a case of doing your research & then forming an opinion.

Put 2 slices of bread & butter in her food. Bread & butter is one of the first foods they say cut out to lose weight. Dogs are fine with human foods as long as they have enough meat in the diet so I would be googling high calorie human foods so you don't increase the bulk too much. Too much fat in any diet can be horrible & fatty foods make my little dogs puke but each dog is individual.

I'm wasting my breath answering you. I pointed out that the danger from dogs was situational. And that small dogs, who are on a level with small children's & babies' heads/faces, can inflict serious injury given their finer skin & softer tissues. So it behoves people with small children to exercise caution in situations around all dogs... & that includes small dogs. Of course, the extent to inflict injury or death is increased with size. Like the difference between being run over by a Mazda3 or a Mack truck. Where on earth does 'equality policy' come from? It's a case of caution in situations with babies/small children & dogs. Just like caution re all traffic when crossing the road. I can see both points of view. Of course one must always be vigilant with children & dogs however it is a damn sight easier & quicker to remove an aggressive chihuahua that weighs a couple of kilos than a big breed dog weighing over 50 kilos. Small dogs don't usually kill children when there is an adult standing there. I was always more worried about the tiny dogs getting squashed than children being bitten. A blow with a heavy object could kill a small dog where a big dog may not even feel it. All the comments, opinions & advice are all too late now Tragic event

Can't say I agree with using any kind of electric shock no matter how controlled to train an animal. There are other ways not involving physical punishment. People cannot always be trusted to be controlled when frustrated either. My dogs were taught stay & leave it. When I first moved in this house 9 years ago I was outside with 5 dogs reading a book at the table. A snake slithered past & I almost died. The dogs went towards it & I yelled stay & leave it & they all froze. The snake went under the house.

There is absolutely no reason on earth to assume your pup will display any of the behaviours of your previous dog. Whole different scenario, breeding, environment, upbringing. Its not normal behaviour for any dog of any breed to be how your previous dog was & I know a few samoyeds & none are even remotely like that. Maybe part of the problems is that you are stressing because of your last dog & not even realising that you are. Start with an open mind & fresh view of your puppy. The safety of a 10 week old puppy of any breed with a bone alone in a yard without anyone home would not be something I could relax about so I am with you on that one. Try & treat puppy like an individual not his breed.

Great socialisation at schools. I used to live opposite one & always took my pups over to get a fuss. The children love them. Pup will love it. He can hold on not going to the toilet for 2 hours. I would never leave a pup outside while I am not home although many do.

I also think its this. Dogs always know when you are sick or ill.

What they are saying is that it is ok to breed any dogs to be sold in pet shops as a business & for profit as long as you comply with their rules, they are actively encouraging this but not ok to breed a pure bred dog with pedigree ancestry, health tests & as much traceable history for health & temperament because you love the breed, want to breed it to its very best advantage & share your love of your breed with other people & continue its survival. On a very small scale to commercial breeding I may add. They are not getting pedigree dogs with papers in the RSPCA & AWL & on the rare odd occasion that they may, as in case of death etc they absolutely refuse to return the dog to the breeder even if they offer a lifetime rehome. I know I asked them. In SA they will not work with other welfare groups either. Rules such as disinfect bowls & pick up new born pups several times a day, 4 I think, which is big risk as many mothers object to this & may try to hide or even destroy pups if disturbed so much are not going to make a dogs life better or ensure humane treatment. What's it all really about ? It must be devastating & distressing for them to have to euthanise so many animals. I cannot imagine doing their job but this is not the right way to go about solving the problem. It may even increase the problem. I am absolutely amazed that people are just accepting this. Its beyond my comprehension. Especially Dogs SA. It is totally against their members. Is anyone reading the whole report or even understanding it & where it will lead ?

Have now read the 69 page final report & cannot believe that Dogs SA approve these recommendations. The whole thing is geared towards making it easier to breed cross breeds in government approved facilities & for pet shops to sell puppies. How it can be ok for pups to be in a pet shop on display being there for the sole purpose of getting sold quickly as possible to make a profit & not ok for pups to be at the breeders home with their mother being sold to selected homes that are suitable for the breed where the breeder screens the buyer & gives full disclosure on the breed & suitability ? The breeder also says No to the wrong homes. Pet shops do not even know if they are the wrong homes. Pet shop aim is to make the maximum profit quickly. I am so disillusioned. Most of these recommendations are not really in the interest of the animal, many not good breeding practise & will not solve the problem of so many in the pound or the euthanasia rates. I can find so many flaws but there are far too many to list. Being a small registered hobby breeder will eventually mean being treated like some kind of a criminal. How can people let this happen, accept it & think it will do some good ? Its useless & very biased to businesses.

3 or 4 days & I am in with them. Especially if its a new puppy that I have not bred.

Oh it is quite mean to let the dog get so fat. Looks friendly though. If that is your daughter she has so grown up. Not seen a photo since she was a toddler :)

Super cutie sweater/dress with frills for tiny/toy breeds. 3 to 7 pounds weight. Haven't tried it yet but will just for fun. autumnblossomknits.wordpress.com/2007/11/17/free-pattern-for-the-ruffled-chihuahua-sweater-dress/

When I was a child in the 50's growing up in England they didn't have all these dog laws. Dogs were frequently in the street playing with children, taken in shops & not really banned from anywhere. The saddest part was that some did get run over despite not as many cars on the road as today & an entire bitch with a pack of males chasing it was awful but not many children or people got attacked, bitten & most children weren't scared of dogs. The children got smacked or reprimanded if the dog snapped because they were doing something stupid to it as well as the dog so they learned to respect the dog. While I wouldn't like to see loose dogs out without owners & entire bitches running free it does make me wonder if we are so dog unfriendly & stupid in how we discipline that we have caused the dogs problems.

That's great news. It must be a worry even with vet supervision & the right treatment. Hope the litter thrives & mum is all ok. Not a thing I have any experience with but it was good of you to share the info. We can all, always learn something new. You never know when it may be you who it happens to.