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Not much detail as yet. Happened in Whyalla. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-04/sa-woman-dies-after-dog-attack-in-whyalla/106103542

I have had some closure on his situation. God Bless all you dog lovers.

My goal was to get the dogs into a better home than I could offer them. I was one senior person who was moving about. I wanted them to be in a home with at least two people, preferably a couple of kids. A stable home with a yard. I wanted to know his had happened for them. I heard this happened for Chewie. For some unknown reason, I can’t get information about Dixie? The dog community here seems to applaud that. That is disturbing, and for her sake, I will pursue this. Yes, the Puli community is small so I appeal to this community to give me assurance that Dixie is OK. I want to know she has a loving, happy home. I won’t challenge that, I will simply be grateful and happy for her.

@Art, I'm going to have to agree with everyone else here that has given you advice. I know that you are finding it distressing that the person (breeder) you gave Dixie and Chewie to has chosen to cease all contact with you. As we only have your version of what has transpired with regard to communication between you and them, I can't speculate as to why that may be, but they may have their own reasons for that lack of communication that unfortunately you might have to just deal with and move on. You are lucky that Chewie's new family gave you updates... most people don't want any contact with former owners because it generally opens a can of worms that can't be capped again... and does no-one any good in the long run. As for Dixie, I think you may need to chalk the situation up to experience and move on with your life, as I don't see either the breeder or any new owner actively wanting any contact with you - again, they will have their own reasoning for that stance, which must be acknowledged and respected. It is unlikely you will get Dixie back, nor know where she went, and that is a tough pill to swallow, but also what often happens when people give their dogs away. You say that you are in a good place to share your life with a dog, so may I be so bold as to suggest maybe looking at getting yourself a new dog that won't come with any baggage from your former life? Start fresh and build new and awesome memories with that new dog who will happily adore you just as much as you adore it. T.

Cruelty to animals is a sign of violence and DV. Plus lying and all his other red flags.

https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/crime/nathan-mckeown-hit-with-new-charges-after-arnie-the-german-shepherd-found-dead-in-ute/news-story/fc6f668cb81cad6430829785bbe0089d

You decided life elsewhere was more important than your dogs so understand you dont get to do the high & mighty route. You could have stayed in Australia & made it work for the dogs. You are back & have decided i want the dogs . Every post you are add more details of supposed things & keep in mind breeders read these posts so im sure the Puli community being small this has already been shared so anything not factual will have been noted . We had a similiar scenario with a dog we breed ,returned to us as they where moving overseas & didnt want to take as it would be XWZ after their 3 years & where worried about quarantime on return which we applauded them for thinking off the dog in that respect . The contract was keep her or find a good home .This dog COULD NOT be in our house with other dogs so she needed to be rehomed & was to an amazing family . Owners overseas informed well then they went like your coming across all high n mightly ,im entitled,i want & then sent a lawyers letter of demand which was obvious it was a friend who had done it with no clue on what they had agreed to . They want all the private details of the new owners .Um no the privacy act exists for a reason ,they claimed on trips home they wanted the dog for sleep overs ,yeah like the new owners are going to send there dog off for a sleep over with people acting untrustworthy . We informed them of what was going on & they agreed with our stance & Thanked us for advocating for them & the dog . Your not going to get anywhere if your communication is like it is here ,it reads big Red Flags

The breeder initially seemed as though he would be reasonable and understanding of my plight. I thought he would be the best option for my dogs, his connections and understanding of the breed seemed to be the best option for my beautiful dogs. I had thought he would let me know how they were doing and when they were re-homed. Instead, he rushed me through the initial drop-off. He never took time to sit down and talk through scenarios or opinions. We never signed anything. we didn’t get a chance to formulate a plan or a contract. I imagined the dogs would be sleeping inside the house but they were put in a cage-run. The breeder was very slow to give me reassurance or communication after I’d left. I simply wanted to know they were OK. The first dog found a wonderful home after two months, but he was dropped off in a filthy state by the breeder. I always offered the breeder money for getting the dogs a good home and letting me know they were settled. He didn’t respond. I offered him money to get the second dog back. He simply Ghosted me. My situation was similar to a parent going through a life crisis and having the kids fostered for a while. Two dogs was too much for me after my wife left, but now I have regained stability and one dog is fine. I want some human understanding and I want to know my second dog has not been abused. If she has a loving home I will be happy. I do need to know this though as I have lost trust in the breeder. Who would refuse to give a concerned owner some peace of mind? That sort of person would also not be trusted to take kind care of an animal. I want to know if Dixie is in a loving home or if she is able to come home to me.

This is the thing wth surrenders. We get them in rescue also. To be frank, you gave up your dogs and that's that. There's nothing to force anyone to have contact you. Or to give your dog back. Some adopters specifically say NO, to involvement with the old owner. You have to respect their decision. There's nothing you can do if they don't want to keep in touch or send photos through for the re-homer to forward on (keeping confidentiality). Even the breeder who, is her legal owner now. Has no obligation to further contact with you. Sorry, I only know what you've written here.... You're coming off as a bit stalkery, suspicious and accusatory, not sure I'd want to get involved with your 'closure' either.

I don’t keep changing my mind. I am only concerned about the dog. I want the best for the dog. If she’s in a happy home I will be at peace but there are red flags. The first dog was filthy and smelly when he was handed over. That’s a red flag. The second dog is very sensitive and if she’s still with the breeder I am concerned that she’s being neglected. In that case, I want her back. All I want is certainty that she’s OK and in a good home. The breeder is so heartless that he won’t give me closure.

Covering the crate also makes it more cosy and den-like for them... and they can settle faster. T.

Hi all, I posted here about 6 months ago totally stressed out because my 3-year-old rescue mutt (we think he's part cattle dog, part who-knows-what) was destroying my apartment every time I left for work. I'm talking shredded couch cushions, scratched up door frames, the works. My landlord was NOT happy. I got a lot of great advice from this community back then and wanted to share what ended up working in case anyone else is dealing with this nightmare. What didn't work for us: Leaving the TV on (he couldn't care less) Those thunder shirts (waste of money for us, though I know some people swear by them) Puzzle toys (he ignored them when anxious) What actually helped: Crate training - I know it's controversial but he actually seems to feel safer in there Exercising him HARD before I leave (like 45 min minimum) Practicing leaving for just 30 seconds, then a minute, building up slowly This is going to sound weird but I tried some CBD treats after reading about it here. Was super skeptical but honestly I think it takes the edge off for him. I use ones from Innovet that my vet's office actually had a poster about The biggest thing was consistency though. It took like 3 months of the same routine every single day before he started to chill out. He's not perfect - if I'm gone for more than 6 hours he still gets stressed - but he's not destroying everything anymore. Small victories, right? Anyone else have a dog with separation anxiety? What worked for you?

You have a point I took on a dog for a chap that had to go overseas with option to visit anytime he was in Australia. It was a nightmare After each visit he would cry up to a week missing his human. Had to give him two options. No more visits or take him back permanently. He chose option 2 So all happy then Some dogs are fine with sharing but his boy just became too upset

The person who helped rehome them is under no requirement to hand out the info & i wouldnt either . We also dont share the details of any dogs we have assisted in rehome . You gave up ownership of the dogs & thats where it ends . Consider yourself lucky to be in contact with one of them but it sounds like you want more than just seeing her & if she is in a nice settled home thats where it ends . You dont get to waltz back in all this time & turn the dogs world upside down again & i dare say thats the vibe this person is getting especially involving the other dogs owner into finding out . You are no longer the dogs owner its that black n white .

An Australian breeder helped out with rehoming TWO dogs, at least one not of his breeding, that is already a HUGE favour they have done for you, especially in the present climate where good homes are being filled with oodles and popular purebreds. That you keep changing your mind about wanting the dog back could be the reason they are now less than enthusiastic to you. Let it go, and go volunteer somewhere with dogs.

Dixie is a six-year-old Puli. I am a fit 72 year old. I think about Dixie every day and would like her back, or at least would like to know that she has a loving new home, but I can't get any answers from the person who said they would look after her. Dixie was one of two Pulis that my ex-wife purchased. Before we met in 2015, she purchased her first Puli, Chewie in South Australia. When she was in the USA in 2020, stuck during Covid, she purchased her second Puli, Dixie, from a Colorado breeder. In 2020. At that time, I was stranded in Australia while my wife was in the US.. Chewie, Dixie and my wife came back to Australia in 2021. In September 2022, my wife abandoned the dogs and myself, later taking the house from us. Chewie, Dixie and myself were on the road and eventually we settled in Queensland for a while. It wasn't working in Queensland and out of desperation, I planned to move overseas to a place I could afford. I was having trouble looking after two dogs by myself but I loved them both. I contacted a Puli breeder in NSW with my story and I was surprised to hear that he would have the dogs on his large, 13 acre property and he would use his contacts to re-home them. I dropped the dogs of with much heart-ache, in August. I stayed in touch to learn of their progress and I received a few updates from him. Just before I left for overseas, in early September, I had a call from the new owner of Chewie, the older Puli. Chewie had found a loving home and the new owner sent photos of Chewie and his new home and adventures. I cried with relief and thanked him. We are still in touch and I am grateful. My attempt to move overseas did not work as smoothly as I'd hoped. The reality proved harder than the many You Tube videos I'd watched for weeks beforehand. I was niave I suppose. I returned to Australia after several weeks and looked for a place to re-settle. Eventually, I re-settled in South Australia near the beach in early November. The Puli breeder who took Dixie has not communicated with me in months, even though I have emailed and called him several times, causing much anxiety. I am willing and able to take Dixie back now. I can look after one dog now, very well. If Dixie has been re-homed, I want to know and I want to touch base with the new owner to make sure she is OK and her quirks are understood. I want peace of mind regarding Dixie's welfare, as she is a sensitive dog. A couple of weeks ago, the new owner of Chewie saw the NSW Puli breeder at a dog show and kindly asked about Dixie. The NSW dog breeder would only say that Dixie has been re-homed, with no further information. I am not sure I believe this. If this was the case, why wouldn't I simply be told? Something is not right. If anyone has any information, or suggestions regarding Dixie, or her whereabouts, what I can do, etc, please share. Dixie's Chip # is 981-020-037-277-013 (She was chipped in the USA and my ex-wife's name is probably the reference name, 'Potanin') Here are some phots of Dixie.

...and with a job Nice story.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-01/last-dog-on-christmas-island-shiloh/105722366

Tell who? So if I can follow this. You posit that Heelers are out of favour, replaced by BC. But the BC isn't built with the strength or nerve? Making the herd sketchy and stressed? And the meat a poorer quality. Is that the basics?

i think it just gets worse every year despite their reports.

Sounds familiar. Does Australia Post repeat this story every year?

I understand the information coming from you was that the ACD is too full on, can harass cattle and that there could be issues with their training or handling from a modern farmer is this correct? Let me break this down, one qualification at a time with the outcome on the same line for easy understanding. High energy: Required Strong herding instinct: Required Improper training: Warranty issue towards trainer? Improperly managed: Owner issue The old-style ACD was bred for quiet, controlled cattle work and that’s why they put the Dingo in. A good heeler only bites as the final word, not the first. The issue today isn’t the breed changing I believe it to actually be the handling culture. ACDs need clear boundaries to stay calm and precise. When people avoid giving firm correction, the dog ends up making its own decisions, and that’s where trouble starts. Heelers haven’t become rough workers, the expectations and training style have. In the video I've sent, did you see any signs of harassment like the ones we can see here (handling issue): language warning on the breeder's comment, not to required to hear it Stressed handler > stressed dog > stressed cattle. This chain reaction is well documented in livestock behaviour research, including CSIRO and UQ work such as the McGreevy and Starling study (https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/7/12/102). Calm handlers create calm dogs and calm dogs create calm cattle. High arousal anywhere in the line makes stock harder to move. I also reckon that if a dog is constantly worried about being kicked, that becomes ongoing stress in itself. Breeds that rely heavily on eye, like the Border Collie, can be more sensitive to sudden pressure or impact. They are brilliant workers but they do not take a heavy knock the same way a heeler will. Heelers were bred to handle knocks, shoves and the odd kick and keep working. That is part of why the early breeders used the dingo type. Quiet workers with resilience who do not lose their head when the stock get lively. Cattle stress affects meat quality. MLA’s dark cutting research shows that clearly. Calm stock produce better beef. So understanding how handler behaviour and dog behaviour feed into that chain is not a small thing at all. You tell em yeah?

looks like this the only wire haired pointers but not grffen's https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/breeders/wirehaired-slovakian-pointer.asp cute, less messy face

I agree that people should be allowed to keep dogs in apartments but there are some specific issues that apartment-living dog owners need to consider. High-rise apartments tend to be very low-stimulus environments in comparison to stand-alone houses, where dogs can see birds, other wildlife and neighbouring people and dogs. Toileting and off-leash exercise are potentially problematic because people usually can’t install dog doors or even take their dogs out into their own back yards. I think welfare organisations could help in a more practical way by publishing specific guidelines for people keeping dogs in apartments. The guidelines might include pros and cons for people who are considering getting a dog, suggestions for managing dogs in apartments while providing a good quality of life, and a contingency planning checklist that covers planning for unexpected delays getting home, owner illness and times when the dog has diarrhoea or is otherwise unwell etc.

This from someone who fought hard to have pets allowed by default in rentals and strata situations... does she now want to say that people in apartments shouldn't have pets because space is limited? At least AWL actually visited the apartment and spoke with the owners about the situation, and will most likely follow up in a few weeks to make sure that they are still doing the right thing. According to sources, RSPCA declined to act, giving the excuse that the dog had food, water, and shelter... how would they know that any of those were sufficient if they didn't attend? Seriously, I've personally seen RSPCA act on much less serious breaches of animal welfare than this dog's situation. T.