sandgrubber

guess I won't worry about it and instead be glad! It seems to be a self-extinguishing as well as a self-rewarding behavior. I haven't seen a spider for several days!

oops double post

The Adventure Box also looks great, and easy to build at home.

Steve, these two references say things I've heard many times, and I think most of the educated dog community know and act upon. The posted article goes beyond this in its mention of CPV-3, and in claiming the jabs are actually giving dogs the virus. If I google CPV-3, I find it's a remote controlled helicopter with three rotors. Searching "Canine parvo virus 3" yields the following about a new test for the disease, but no indication that the available vaccines don't yield protection http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131107103402.htm

A most uninformative news story. Were either of both of the animals roaming? I don't have a cat, I don't hate cats, but I deeply resent having them freely trespass on my property, hunt small native animals, yowl at night, and crap in kiddies sandboxes. If you want to have cats, fine, but keep them on your own property. I used to live in South Fremantle. Rumor had it that we had no stray cats in our neighborhood cause one of the local fishermen viewed cats as good cray bait. The rumor was probably false, but it provided an incentive for people to keep their cats in at night. Until there are decent laws to keep cats confined, there will be people wishing malice on cats. For good reason.

I wish I could loan Patty (Labrador, 14 weeks) to you for a few meals. She's the most avoricious, greeedy feeder I've ever met. She thinks cabbage cores and broccoli stalks are treats. I would bet that putting your pup together with a real greedy guts for a few meals, and letting her discover that if she doesn't eat she'll go hungry, would increase her appetite for meals. Btw,you might try making her treats less attractive than her meals. Eg, carrots. I'll bet it will increase interest in meals.

This was in the local paper: Have four boy's and for girl's mom is red noise and the daddy is massive and red noise looking for a good home are seven weeks and ready to go 175.00 a peace !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (From the picture, I'd say red nose pit bull x mastiff.)

I don't detest cats. I detest free running non-native predators that decimate native wildlife. Cats that are confined to the house or a well built cat enclosure are fine with me. As for ferals, many places in the US have programs (our local one is called "Operation Can-Snip" ) that neuter feral cats for free. These are generally inadequate and feral cat populations persist. I don't see why you rule out euthanasia. After all, we slaughter rats with very nasty poisons, and rats are intelligent, social creatures. If you don't believe this, google "rat agility" . .. you'll be amazed. I can't imagine what would happen if there were as many feral dogs as feral cats, especially in urban and suburban environments. It would not be pretty.

In the US, legal definitions further muddy the waters. A legal site, commenting on dog laws says: "What exactly is a pit bull? There is no one pit-bull breed and no reliable way of identifying a dog as one of the pit-bull breeds. And because "pit bull" has become synonymous with "mean," any dog that bites someone and has a passing resemblance to a bulldog is likely to be labeled a pit bull." http://www.nolo.com/...hapter12-4.html In Riverside County, California (and probably many other legal jurisdictions) 'Pit bull is legally defined as "Any Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, or American Stafford Terrier breed of dog, or any mixed breed of dog which contains, as an element of its breeding, any of these breeds so as to be identifiable as partially of one or more of these breeds." ' See: http://blog.pe.com/p...tails-revealed/ Many counties require that 'pit bulls', by the above definition, be sterilized at 4 months. The rationale is generally given that dog shelters are overflowing with such dogs, and they are disproportionately involved in dog attacks. Ordinances sometimes make exceptions for registered breeders of pedigree dogs.

On your #2 point, you've been fed hype. Dogs can digest starch. Recent DNA studies looking at the difference between dogs and wolves found that one big difference is that dogs are better endowed with the genes to produce starch digestion enzymes. One of the evolutionary changes that happened when wolf changed to dog is that the system got better able to handle starch. I wouldn't pay one cent more per pound for foods that substitute roots for grains (ie, sweet potato vs. rice). I still avoid foods where corn is the #1 ingredient. When I lived in Perth I fed pups (Labs) on a mostly-raw diet cause it's so easy to buy raw in Perth, and they thrive on raw. I've been away from Oz for some years, so you'll have to ask around about where you can buy roo, but I'm pretty sure Leonards still sells chook bones. My vets warned me off feeding chicken bones before 4 mo of age because chicken sometimes carries salmonella and younger pups don't have strong enough immune systems to handle salmonella. I generally adhered to this, but when one of my girls took to barfing up half digested chicken frames to feed her litter, I gave in to feeding raw chook to pups. Never had a problem, but it could be risky. Now that I'm in the US I'm feeding Eukanuba puppy to my Lab pup, along with eggs, veg and fruit (carrots, all cabbage family veg., bananas, apples). I find it's a lot easier than the raw diet, and, frankly, I can't see any difference in the pup's health. I don't like Science brand. . . have had lots of puking when I feed it ...and avoid the low end brands. But I can't see the value of the most expensive stuff. The biggest problem I had feeding raw to Labs is the fat problem. This is particularly hard when you feed raw. Chook frames are the cheapest and some say the best raw meat for dogs. But the frames from modern factory chook frames are grossly fatty. So are some of the other red meat cuts commonly sold for dogs (eg, lamb flaps). Even if you trim the fat, you're going to have to be quite careful with portions to avoid feeding too much. It's a lot easier to ensure that your dog is getting more joules from protein than fat when you feed a quality dry food product.

Where's the headline saying NUMBAT KILLED, CAT BLAMED Small critters have no chance so long as cats are allowed to roam. Cats are held responsible for the extinction of nine species of bird in Australia, and for pushing 33 other species to the brink of extinction. The Australian Wildlife Commission estimates that cats kill 75 million small native animals, daily. See: http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/natural-born-killers-the-problem-with-cats.htm

My Labs generally growl at daughters if they've been away for several months. It's a front. They make up to them within a few minutes. I tend to keep a daughter from each litter. They become much devoted to one another, playing, cuddling, and grooming. I have three generations at the moment. Gran and pup are devoted to one another, as are mothers and daughters.

Patty has strong prey drive. She pulls like mad when we walk by the neighbors free-running rabbits, and has a go at squirrels, but can't catch them. A couple days ago, I saw her chasing a large spider (about the size of a Huntsman). Before I could pull her off the thing she caught it and ate it. Nothing happened. She caught and ate another one yesterday. So it looks like our local house spiders are harmless. Still, I don't like the idea of eating spiders. Does anyone have any suggestions about how to change this behavior. Problem is it happens randomly, and very quickly, so it's hard to organize a correction.

Like work with time, puppies expand to fill the space allocated to them. That sounds like a fantastic space for a pup! Of course it could turn to a hardship if the pup was abandoned there, given no attention, never walked, etc., but somehow I doubt that's going to happen!

Return it to the shop and demand your money back! I once bought some anti-chew spray. The pup chewed up the bottle of anti-chew spray. City Farmers returned my money.

Appropriately, this add, from our local high pressure franchise vet, comes up along with this video. ...and . . . the first one's free!

Goldie show is a good idea. I'll take a look. Yes I agree there is no point trying to replace, need to embrace a new dog with it's own personality, looks and heart. +1 on the golden x Lab. You might want to try a gun dog show . .. and look at both Labs and goldies. May be that some of the traits you loved came from the Lab side. What people are saying about not replacing, and embracing the new dog for itself makes sense. But on the other hand, if you're looking for a gun dog temperament, you don't buy a terrier or a herding dog. It's worth finding words for the temperament features that you loved in Charlie and would like to see again. If you find a good breeder, they can help you select a pup that fits the bill.

More like bad writing. Sensationalism makes the meaning palpable. This journo muddied meaning.

I use the teeth and shots criteria to choose vets. I know my two have pretty clean teeth cause they get lots of bones, and I know their vaccination histories. If the vet suggests a cleaning, or annual vaccinations, I have the cue I need to change vets. Likewise, if the vet suggests home remedies, like diluted vinegar for mild yeast infection in the ears, I figure the vet is a keeper.

See also http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/calgary/calgarians+unleash+torrent+bite+reports/8411084/story.html or Google "dog bite Calgary" Calgary introduced its new dog laws in 2006. The definition of bite was made more restrictive in 2009 (presumably causing the decline in bites that year). But if an Australian city showed the increase seen from 2009-2012 the politicians would be going nuts. I don't think the numbers in 2012 are particularly low, given that the definition of dog bite is more restrictive than in many places. Calgary's population is about 400k less than that of Perth. What are the annual figures for dog bites in Perth? Calgary reported ~200. The fines being handed out are high, and that's right and good. btw., I'm not saying the Calgary model is bad, I'm saying it tends to be oversold. If anyone is going to the Bill Bruce lecture, it would be good if they asked a question about the trend over the last few years.

This is hardly news, and not unique to veterinarians (lots of doctors do the same). Still it's good to see it on mainstream TV. I think they got it right that tooth cleaning and unnecessary vaccinations are the big unnecessary procedures that get peddled. http://abcnews.go.com/US/veterinarians-sell-unnecessary-shots-tests-make-extra-money/story?id=20967672 (text) http://abcnews.go.com/2020/video/veterinarian-honest-20987714 (video) Some Veterinarians Sell Unnecessary Shots, Tests to Make Extra Money, Says Former Vet Nov. 22, 2013 By JOSEPH RHEE, GERRY WAGSCHAL and KIMBERLY LAUNIER via 20/20 ABC News conducted an undercover investigation at vet clinics in New York and New Jersey, using two different dogs. In this photo, Honey, a 5-year-old pitbull, gets a check-up. ABC News For most pet owners, man's best friend is another member of the family and deserves the best care, but a former veterinarian says that some vets, out to make an extra buck, will pad the bill with unnecessary shots, tests and procedures. Andrew Jones worked as a veterinarian for 17 years. He left the industry after a dispute with his medical board over marketing issues, and wrote a book called, "Veterinary Secrets: Revealed." "I'm clearly not making friends within the veterinarian industry, but I feel I'm saying things that need to be said, that aren't being said," Jones said. Watch the full story on "20/20" tonight at 10 p.m. ET As a young veterinarian working at a clinic in British Columbia, Jones said he got an early lesson about upselling after telling a pet owner whose dog had a lump to just monitor it. At the time, Jones said he was fairly certain the dog's lump was a benign fatty tumor, but said the clinic owner quickly clued him in on the effectiveness of using the dreaded "c" word: cancer. "The practice owner... said, 'no, that's not how you do it... what you need to do is get that dog back in... It's going to be much more profitable for the practice,'" Jones said. "He said that it might be cancer. And it's-- usually the 'c' word, pet owners get really concerned and they say, 'do whatever you need to make sure it's not serious.'" Throughout his career, Jones said he discovered a dark reality about some veterinarians in the United States and Canada, including himself. "They feel that pressure of, 'I've got these overhead costs to make,' and that's where your judgment gets caught," he said. Jones said that, under pressure from bosses, he ordered services that were not needed. He said "no question" he would have been fired if he hadn't done as his bosses asked. "If I didn't meet this certain target, then yeah, my employment was at threat." But Jones said even after he owned his own clinic, at times, he continued upselling. "There are things... that I did as a practice owner, where in hindsight, probably didn't need to be done," he said. "For instance, seeing a dog that has a little bit of tartar... then I might say, 'I think your dog should have a dental cleaning'... It's obviously more profitable for the practice."

These are not my views, they are a literal reading of data taken from the City of Calgary's website. Dog bite incidence (green) has more than doubled from 2009 to 2012. The dramatic decline in overall incidences comes in 1999-2000, before the new model of dog control was implemented. . . it is not a decline in bites but in chasing. Bites do decrease dramatically in 2009, but go back up again thereafter. Mita may be right that there is a change in reporting. It would require research to figure out what is behind the numbers; the figure caption indicates that there was a change in how bites were recorded after 2009. Without further research I would not say the stats indicate that the Calgary model has been a great success.

It's hard to build a dog with the physique of a bulldog and end out with good hips and elbows. The OFA statistics look as bad as the Finnish stats cited above. See http://www.offa.org/stats_hip.html or flip through OFA pages for elbows. Bulldogs are at the top of the list for bad hips with 60-70+% dysplasic, depending on what time period you look at. Given the small number of dogs sampled, it looks like most breeders avoid testing.

Lots of good advice and I hate to add more. And I'm not really qualified, cause I raise all my pups in company of their mother and usually another adult dog or two. I don't crate; I create a ramp so the pup can get into bed; I keep old furniture and furniture with metal lets, so I don't need to worry about a little chewing, all my floors are tile. A lone puppy in a household not organized for puppy excesses is a different thing. But don't forget to bring out the good side. Poor little pup got pulled away from brothers and sisters, with whom she snuggled and wrestled whenever she wanted. She has lots of energy, lots of curiosity, and doesn't understand the rules. Doing a little training in the mode of tricks and games may help turn the chewing and tearing in a more positive direction. Make a big thing of tummy tickling and belly rubs and unforced cuddles. Positive play, grooming/cuddling, and training will build the sort of relationship you want with a dog. Also, though it makes a mess, I do let my little guys chew and tear . . . cardboard boxes, yoghurt containers, an old hairbrush, the duster, the rubber ducky, an old pair of Crocs. Generally, diverting things that were headed to the trash anyway and letting them get a good chew or get torn to bits will satisfy the pup's destructive energy and cost you only the trouble of cleaning up the mess. The growling . . . I agree with others . . . you need an experienced person to advise you there. A self-confident pup may make a lot of noise and act pretty ferocious, but it's all bluff and bluster, and not true aggression. If it's turning into more than that With mine, it's a phase, and they grow out of it in a few months. I have a 14 week pup with me at the moment. She's got the toilet thing down pat . . . uses the doggie door . .. she hasn't chewed up anything except the bed frame (which I allow her to chew), toys, and garbage, for a week or so. Hole digging is the present annoyance . . . be prepared to deal with lots of digging is you confine the pup alone, outdoors. But she spends a couple hours a day wrestling with her mother. I still get punctured by milk teeth from time to time, but that should pass in another month or two.

I have used a collar that had both vibration and 'stim' mode options for training with Labs. They HATED the vibration mode, but didn't seem to mind a low stim (I never used a high level). I disagree that vibration is the gentler option.