Christina

Oh Honeychild I want to go to bed now but I have got the giggles, that is a crack up. Poor dog looks drunk :D

At present I am making a new page for my website on advice for buying a puppy. In short my advice is to research the health issues in your chosen breed that are testable & ask to see the written results of the tests. Ask what your health guarantee is & ask for it in writing. Ask for a written vet check. Ask for vet, breeder or previous puppy buyers references if you feel the need. Visit the breeders home or if buying interstate see if you can get a friend or relative to visit for you. If you are not happy with the environment of the dogs & puppies, they do not look clean & healthy or you do not feel comfortable with the breeder leave. All puppies are cute but do not be tempted if all is not right.

A few of the ones that made me smile

:D Over many years I have lost 2 dogs to cancer & last year my 11 year old cat. The feeling is awful & you feel so bloody helpless. Try not to focus on this time when you have got over the shock a bit. What helped me was to remember all the happy times & to know they were loved & did not know what a hard life or bad day was in all of their lifetimes. They are always in your heart forever.

Incorrect. People can get asthma from pets without hives. Allergy symptoms range from asthma, sore eyes, vomiting, swelling of mouth & face only, hyperactivety, aggression or hives A blood test is a correct diagnosis to start with & may assist in the cause of your sons eczema/asthma even if it is not the dog.

:D ok Wishing N Hoping ?

We need the kennel prefix ? So it goes together & is not too long. If it is your 1st show dog what about something reflecting that. Stepping Out High Hopes Rising Star Wishing & Hoping Chasing The Dream

Size, I have had the smallest in the litter grow the biggest at a few months old, depends on the breed. Re personality. I know the nature of mine between about 3 & 4 weeks old but a lot of how they develop depends on what the person who gets them does with the puppy. A shy one may bloom in the right place & the outgoing one can become quiet. Personality is not all genetics, just part. They may behave differently on the day you look according to the mood they are in. Once I had them tearing around the house like maniacs for hours & popped them in the puppy pen 10 minutes before the buyer came. They looked like they were dead so exhausted & just wanted to sleep & couldn't be bothered. I don't do that now Be guided by the breeder but the choice is yours & its which one you fall in love with. Unless of course the breeder tells you that puppy is not what you would be happy with at all.

What a lovely neighbour you are. I would also tell the truth, unless they were scary ferals, better to know & stop worrying. Not your fault.

A simple blood test at your doctors for you & your son will show allergy for certain, or not. Results in about 5 days. That's the way to start. Allergy can just occur when it has not been there before or it is underlying & other seasonal allergy starts off the symptoms, immune system is low & this allergy starts too. The hair is not just the problem. Dander & saliva too, so shaving, more grooming is useless. Eczema & asthma occur together in children who have it severely, often when one clears the other starts. As animal loving as I am I had to re home all mine for this reason many years ago. My baby was allergic to the world. Adult now he can not come into my home. Asthma can kill. Babies & small children are more vunerable as they can not tell you how bad they feel & it can occur quickly. Sad as you are I would not risk it. Have the tests asap. Its a simple start. If positive & severe all the cleaning & grooming in the world is a waste of time

My Tara acts like she is digging to China for 24 hours before, every time. Never seen such a fuss in my life :D Then she has the pups in an hour or so. Angie is the opposite. No digging just hops in the bed when ready, makes her bed comfy for a few minutes & then plop, out they come. I wouldn't worry. Sometimes first time they act instinctively & dig & its not even going to happen for a day or 2. As long as she is not contracting or panting try & relax & wait.

Sure was a laugh, for everyone but you.

Sorry but do you cry when the last puppy goes. I can't be the only silly one.

What a narrow minded view :rolleyes: This is about animal welfare, including the health & responsibility for the puppies that are put out there. As a buyer I would prefer my puppy to come from someone who health tests, considers the genetics before breeding, provides advice & on going support if needed, raises their puppies well in good conditions no matter how many dogs they have or if they show. If its a show breeder who only breeds for themselves & to show, sells off the rest & keeps them in crap conditions I don't care if they aren't a puppy farm. I would not want a pup from them. Lucky the choice is not always from the 2 extremes. If someone has 2 litters a month, every month & over breeds the bitches obviously there is cause for concern, no matter what you class them as.

I meant that the current laws should be policed. If they are adequate to cover that dogs should be kept in conditions which are good & have their health & welfare as priority. If they are not adequate they should be. This does not mean dogs can't be kept in your home, must have certain size & style of whelping pen, seperate buildings, be walked half hour daily etc & other blanket, one style rules. Its supposed to mean the dogs are clean, well fed, get attention & not confined to cramped cages & have medical attention when needed. This should apply to all dog owners, breeders or not. Its not that complex to treat an animal right, although I wonder at some. There should be external accountability. The RSPCA are supposed to be anti cruelty not anti breeder.

Well used to dogs from childhood but had an OMG I want to crawl under the table vet visit with my 1st cockatieil. 2nd hand to me, a male & female. Had them in a huge cage in the lounge. The female went all silly & kept squatting like she was constipated, egg bound or something so off to the vet. He examined her. Said its spring & she is horny Said no charge this is the best laugh I have had all week & I am going to tell everyone. Exit feeling a prize idiot.

Read this whole thread while having my wake up coffees. No way of getting this right to suit everyone due to varying opinions. Seems we all know what a puppy farm is when its horrendous, as published on Animal Lib site etc. The problem is defining what is puppy farming when it is not to that degree. There are already laws in place that can be used to deal with neglect & abuse. Why are they not being enforced in a sensible manner ? More laws are only going to make it so difficult for small hobby breeders who have a genuine interest in their breed & be so intimidating that dog breeding will only be a large scale commercial enterprise in the end. Microchip & desex of companion dogs & banning sales in pet shops will help but the rest are honestly completely useless. New laws are going to create more problems. People do not think what they will mean in the long term or the sense, consequences & method of application of them. We have laws that are not being used in the correct manner.

If they are still taking her how will you know or find out that they won't just breed her anyway ? They have a friend who already breeds & you don't know if friend is a registered breeder, puppy farm or anything about them. How do you know anything except what they tell you, which may not be true. I would say you can still have the puppy in a few weeks but she will be desexed. You don't have to desex but I bet they run a mile.

You can't do anymore than you are doing, unless you want chemical overdose. If you don't have a problem with it, maybe its just your friend who is sensitive. Its the dogs home too so why should they be made to live outside. Ignore your friend. Why is she making personal remarks about your home anyway. Not polite.

If she has a fault that stands out like a dogs balls & you have a wonderful pet home for her I would let her go. Especially as you have said you don't want her like you should. The perfect pup will come along & you will say no way is this one going anywhere. No one else can decide for you.

Honestly if I had posted that question I would have been scared off. Not quite sure what exactly they wanted to know, which I posted & asked for more info. It can all be quite intimidating when you first start out, we can tend to forget that after a few years.

You need to be a bit more specific in your question. Like do you know anything or even how dogs mate & give birth ? or Do you know most of what you should know & just want extra advice on some aspects ? Your question is too vague really.

Spend a few hundred dollars on a proper pair, whichever brand you prefer. My last Oster clippers were very well used & lasted about 16 years. It's worth it.

I don't understand why they need to give $30,000 for someone to answer the phone Anyone, anywhere australia wide can look in the phone book or dial directory enquiries & find the number nearest to them. They will answer the phone & take the details. I assume the calls will be passed on to the closest branch & inspectors will respond from there as time & staff allows anyway. What use is this ? Its just more work & complaints going through more channels. The money would be better spent improving facilities or saving more animals.

These are questions that you need to ask your vet. It depends on why there is a heart murmur. There can be various causes. My old chihuahua lived to be 16 with a grade 1 heart murmur & did not need any treatment so its not always a short life & death sentence. Speak to your vet again. No one can answer your question as they don't know the complete diagnosis. A murmur is a symptom.