ravensmyst00

Kim Chi, I would be extremely concerned about any vet suggesting unneccesary surgery such as this Prophalactic Gatropexy. There is no need for this to be done and I dont know of anyone with the breed who has had it done as a preventative measure. Yes there is a possiblity of bloat as with any large/giant breed of dog but that is also why you take appropriate procautions with feeding and exercise. Yes the bigger the dog the bigger the problems but that is why you research your breeders extensively and their blood lines. If you are worried about bloat then you ask the breeder if any of the dogs they have bred have had bloat. You ask about allergies, thyroid issues. You ask about hip and elbow dysplasia. You ask about temperament. I am more than happy for you to contact me should you have any questions.

I've owned both and will advise a Bullmastiff any day. I have a 4 year old and I couldn't fault male with him for anything. They were the best of friends. My girl is now starting to respond to my son recently by sitting on commands given to her by him.

Also look at PawCraft Designs. Www.pawcraftdesigns.com

If your breeder is local to you contact them and see if they can take him over the period as some breeders offer that service if they have a spare kennel available. If not they may be able to offer a suggestion or advise on who you can contact to help out.

In the end it comes down to the morals and ethics of the judges.

Take photos, set up video cameras and keep a detailed diary of all that takes place. Contact your local council ranger and advise them of the situation including them keeping 5 dogs on the premises as I guarantee they arent registered. Make sure after you speak to them you either send an email (return receipt requested) or letter - registered post confirming the conversation. Make a temporary fence to keep the dogs away from the fence line.

Booge - sent you a pm. As for skin issues - they are common enough.

Yes Bullmastiffs can suffer from skin allergies.

This is very serious - Ring the police. They are scamming your father and will continue to do so because he's an easy target. I wouldn't try to confront them yourself because who knows what they will do.

Dont think its going to change either. Bugger.

Rotti Club in Wednesday's is very good. From what I understand there used to be obedience at Kcc an thursdays but due to lack of participation it was discontinued. Only show training on Thursdays now

Photograph and if possible video these children on your property harassing your dog. Contact your local council and advise them of the situation and your concerns. Also advise them of the roaming dog as it is illegal to have a roaming dog. Send a letter to the parents asking them nicely to keep their children within the confines of their own yard under the guise of you not wanting to see them get hurt should someone not see them when leaving their drive way or on the road. Next time they are out and roaming you can also contact the police saying they were in the street and a car just swerved to miss them.

I'd be going to another vet for a second opinion.

I've been involved in showing for nearly 7 years. While there has been pleasant experiences I can say the negative experiences are starting to out way the positive and as such I hardly show any more. I'm at the point where I have to force myself to enter a show and then the morning of the show I have to find a really good reason to get myself out of bed. I used to love showing and its really sad that I have lost that passion because of the behavior of others.

Dog poo composters take a while to get started and have them work effectively. I have one which was supposed to handle 3 large dogs according to the internet plans. With all the rain earlier this year I have had a lot of set backs with it and it is only now at the stage where it is starting to work - its still going to be a few months before I consider it to be effective. It would be a better idea for the number of dogs to have a septic system installed.