bk_blue

Hobbit, there is an interesting debate about grooming/conformation/working ACDs on ACD-L (do you subscribe to it?). I have to laugh when some of the more fussy show people use hair dryers and such on their big, tough cattle dogs. :roll: And I agree with you that show dogs are, in a way, destroying the original purpose of these dogs (be it ACDs, BCs, Kelpies etc). They are still being used for their original purpose too. It shouldn't matter what these dog look like (though I spose helps at shows to be clean and polished) as long as they can work.

I used to think I was bad if I didn't take BK out for a good long run every day... I absolutely cannot comprehend how some people can be so cruel not only to animals but other people as well, though I know damn well it happens and all too often. The thing is, how can you stop people from being cruel? Will tighter laws stamp it out? I am all for stringency with the law, but will it really do anything? :cry:

Carol, BK is 7 and has been top dog for the last 3-4 years, before that Rinny was top dog over him. Roxy is top dog at her house too, though I am hoping everything goes ok. BK is pretty dominant but usually doesn't try anything on the females, it's the boys he likes :roll: He will probably try and boss her round though I've been saying for ages he needs a strong woman! I also wanted a Dalmatian or a Dobe and I know that male Dobes usually do not get along with other males (this is from the DPCA FAQ and also from my own experience with Scott's Dobe Fred, though there are probably numerous exceptions). The health issues associated with Dobes kind of scare me, but most dogs mutt or purebred will have some sort of health problems as they get older and both our purebred dogs (cocker and basset) were very healthy up until the end. We will be meeting at the park where you can have the dogs off lead, so I am crossing my fingers hoping everything is going to go well!

OK OK, now I know I have said previously that I wouldn't be looking at getting another pet anytime soon... but things have changed here for me, for the better, sooo... I have found a lovely girl. She's a 5yo black and tan Dobermann called Roxy, desexed, the owners have her full history (which I had a good look at today and will also call their vet tomorrow), vacc till January. She is very placid (not much of a watchdog apparently) and good with other dogs (they also have a Boxer). She was lovely to me today, extremely friendly (more so than my own dog LOL). The owner is giving her up as she's just had a baby and doesn't have time to exercise her anymore and wants to make sure she gets the attention she needs, also can't take both the dogs and a pram out at the same time. She's been obedience trained as well. Both the dogs looked really healthy- shiny coat, nice weight, friendly, had sun and shade and kennels and lots of water, obviously they are being cared for. They've had a few enquiries about her but so far I'm the only one they have "approved of". Anyway we've arranged to meet at the park on Sunday so she can meet BK and decide whether she likes him (I know he will like her!), see how they go together for a few hours. I've almost made up my mind that I'd love to have her but it depends on how it goes. I have ummed and ahhhed about getting another dog for about a year now- 2 dogs aren't much more trouble than one, both of them will like the company, and both my parents have given consent to take her with me if I have to move home again so I don't have to worry about where she will live if I have to leave my current house. I am just worried about introducing her and BK to each other at home, not only will she be sad about leaving her home but she will have to deal with Blitz :drinking: :D Neither of them have crates but I can put them in different rooms (I don't really want to leave them alone together for at least a few weeks). Does anyone have any tips on settling in a new dog? I've read stuff over the net and have previous experience with moving BK and Rinny into the same household (though they knew each other for a year prior), but if anyone has stories for me or advice (good and bad, all is welcome) I would love to hear it. Thanks guys... :)

Congrats Koolie- tell us all about it! And every cloud has a silver lining, at least your pup is going to a good home and you'll get to see her lots. :)

Blitz bites my ankles (of course). When he play fights with other dogs they will go for the throat or neck, he will go for the heels every time :roll: When Rinny was younger and could play, BK would pretend to be submissive and lie down, and as Rinny stood over him, BK would bite his feet. Cheeky little bugger. :angel:

How could anyone live with themselves doing those sorts of things to mostly defenceless animals????????????? People make me sick sometimes. :cry:

Tee hee hee, I like that one :lol:

:cry: I hope it is not too late for the poor animals to be saved.

Thanks Nancy :) With the other debate going on in another thread about BARF I'm now wary of beginning anything new (Blitz is doing fine on commerical food)... hmmm we'll see, after my exams finish I'll have more time to get sorted and see if I can trial him on BARF for a month. 8)

Ooeer you've got some goss for me have you! (I have some too ;)) Thanks for that link, was really useful, not too sure about sardines- they STINK!!! (bk wouldn't care, but I do). :D

(off topic) Hey Sash, just noticed you have become a mentor... congrats :D

Egg, they way the microchip works (in Aus anyway, and I assume a similar system in other countries) is that you take the dog to your local vet (most vets do this, though I got a good deal through my obedience club and the Lost Dogs' Home) and they "inject" the chip through a syringe right between your dog's shoulder blades. The chip has a 15-digit code which is unique to that dog, it gets sent off to the National Pet Registry and if the dog goes missing and turns up at a shelter, they're scanned for a chip and if s/he has one, the owner is notified ASAP of their dog's whereabouts. Also great as a weapon against the black market in pet stealing. There was a recent case here where a woman's purebred Husky was stolen and resold, she was reunited with her dog about 6 mths after because this dog ran away from its new owners and was ID'd through the chip. My advice to you is to find out if you have a similar registry in Taiwan and if you do, get Duck on it when she gets chipped (the vet should be able to tell you more?) :)

[quote name='Nancy Bousquet'] More than half the task in training a dog is actually training the owners. [/quote] Good point, I forgot about that aspect :)

What does everyone think about Schutzhund? Not that I am planning to do it, but I think it is a good thing for the right dog to do. Here is a link ot two if you'd like to understand more about how schutzhund works: [url]http://www.k9web.com/dog-faqs/activities/schutzhund.html[/url] [url]http://ehschutzhund.hypermart.net/[/url] Please note it's in no way aggression training, the dog MUST pass rigorous temperament tests before being admitted for training.

It sounds like a good idea, Duck will have the chance to exercise physically and mentally. She will have other dogs there to socialise with too, as long as it all checks out ok. No dog should be taught to be aggressive though, I would be a bit concerned about the police dog stuff too. Is there any way you can see the training in action?

I feel that temperament testing is the only way to go with this. It prevents the "bad" dogs from going to homes where they have the potential to attack or kill, and saves the "good" dogs (good and bad is not usually the dog's fault, but you know what I mean). Unfortunately we can't save every single dog on the planet, I wish we could, so at least by temperament testing you can save the ones who will make great pets. Even so there are so many lovely dogs that are destroyed simply because there are TOO MANY STRAYS. :( Are there pit bull clubs that do rescue? You would think there would be?

[quote name='Jacsmom'](okay Hobbit and bk they do not herd! :lol: )[/quote] That's not necessarily a BAD thing!! :wink: BK (who is a BC/heeler mix) used to herd people, we would all be in the lounge and if someone left he would follow them and try to get them back to the lounge by taking their hand in his mouth (gently) and pulling them, or heel nipping, or nudging. It was cute then annoying, he doesn't do it anymore though thankfully. :) Yellowlabs: Border Collies are awesome dogs but workaholics, as long as you have stuff for them to do they will be reasonably sane. :wink: Talk to the good breeders in your area and visit them, talk to the breed clubs etc etc, the more you find out the more certain you'll be about what dog is right for you. Of course you might find one that makes you melt, and that will be it. :D

There are some breed clubs that have a tattoo registry (eg. Weimaraner Club of Vic), tattooing doesn't hurt the dog much (both our Basset and Cocker were tattooed and spayed but that was long before microchipping), best to do both to be safe maybe. Microchipping is just a needle in between the shoulders, the dog doesn't even notice it (well mine didn't and he is a big wimp). :)

Can you prosecute for that? :(

:cry: :cry: :cry: Shannon, Jacsmom, Guest Pat your stories are all so sad. The only thing is with Rinny, although I don't live with him, every time I go over there he is not a well dog: stiff, sore, in pain (his teeth chatter and it's not the cold). He still makes the effort to get up out of bed and greet me or anyone that comes outside, I wish he wouldn't because it hurts him so much but he does it (BK never does that, he waits for everyone to come to HIM :roll: ). Therefore I have the belief that his bad days are most likely outnumbering the good, to be honest I didn't think he'd make it through the winter and he did. Anyway seeing as it's the afternoon now I am quite sure he's been taken to the vet and is now waiting at the bridge. :cry:

Yes Koolie he is but his prey drive for birds is strangely low... the good thing about him is he keeps all the cats away from the yard so the ducks wouldn't have to worry about cats! :wink:

:lol:

For those of you who don't know my family (well my stepmum but he's like the family dog too) also has a 15 yr old German Shepherd X named Rin Tin Tin (Rinny for short). About 5-6 mths ago he had a doggy "stroke" and was almost put to sleep except my stepmum wouldn't do it, not if he had a fighting chance. He was put on some anti-dementia medication (he doesn't have dementia but this med helped increase blood flow to the brain or something), was already on celery seed for his severe arthritis, so he was going ok but his quality of life since the stroke has been IMO pretty shocking, no way would I let BK go on like that. In the last few months his condition has deteriorated to the point where he obviously finds it painful to walk or even get up, it takes him forever to get up in the mornings, in the last 6wks he's gone off his food and wet himself occasionally. I spoke to Dad the other day to see how he was and he said they're taking him to the vet tomorrow to be put down, they'd set a date for it and everything about a month ago... I asked him why they'd planned it so far in advance and he said "oh so we have a chance to say goodbye to him." Which is fair enough but I completely disagree with their putting their own feelings ahead of Rinny's quality of life and his obvious discomfort and suffering, and for a month????? Pretty selfish I thought. :-? And what if my sister and I wanted to say goodbye to Rinny as well, we lived with him for a while and he's like our dog too. I'm pretty sure that this wasn't Dad's idea, he's the biggest anti-cruelty person I know, but this is turning into a family rant so I will stop. I just think that if you have a dog you put THEIR feelings first when it comes to their health and wellbeing, as much as it is heartbreaking to lose a pet you've got to do what's right for them and not yourself. I just had to vent... I will shut up now... :( Do you think what I am saying is unreasonable or not? I am just really sad that Rinny doesn't seem to matter in this, he's just made to hang around until they are ready for him to go. :x

:lol: :lol: I can't offer any explanation though other than maybe yeah, he did just forget what he meant to pee on?? My auntie's Beagle (neutered) did that to me in the backyard one day, all over my white school sock... Mum was not amused. :roll: