All Activity

A close friend here in QLD used to foster these dogs. She'd have them for around 6 months.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06-20/rspca-dv-pet-support-helps-victims-leave-abusers/106797672

Mairead, thank you for sharing the link! It’s very helpful.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06-18/thomas-turner-animal-abuse-mount-gambier-birds/106731594

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/spaniels-rescued-uhaul-california-b2996132.html

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/australian-posties-being-attacked-nine-times-a-day-by-aggressive-dogs/news-story/f61b8f08bca76ba8f6661800268bf060

"Lagotto Romagnolo New Zealand" https://lagotto.org.nz P.S. I've never had hairy dogs myself.

Thank you for your fast response. The six month period I was referring to was the timing for having the hair in his ears plucked. We have his ears cleaned by the groomer every two weeks. Can you share the comprehensive guide that you found. Thank you very much!

I searched "ear care Lagotto" and found a comprehensive guide from New Zealand. The ear care needs to be much more frequent than every six months. Certainly not waiting until there is so much hair that the dog needs to be sedated. How often is your dog groomed? Recurring infections I would consider a sign that something is not right about the ears or the ear care.

Our Lagotto has been having ear infections from wax buildup. We have the groomer remove the wax every time he is groomed. However, periodically the wax still builds up and there is an infection. Our veterinarian has plucked the hair from his ears a few times (about every six months), and this has helped. Our veterinarian has also prescribed the allergy medication Apoquel, and this also seems to help. If anyone has other suggestions for ear care, that would be greatly appreciated. Ideally, we’d like to avoid the hair plucking because each time he needs to be sedated and there are risks to that.

@dushido_ I used to also make and sell jewellery in the warmer months when the coat business was slow, still under the same name. I ended up working in a family business as their in house jewellery making teacher for a few years but was still making animal gear as requested through my Facebook page. I eventually went back to my old career but shifted to having a major volunteer role as an assistant fundraiser with a really large rescue support group. I did that till they closed down. We basically made items to sell and all the money went to a selection of rescue groups across the country. I was making items for every size and type of animal you can imagine! I did have a particular business idea that I could have grown (custom made soft cones for cats and dogs) but to be honest making things to deadlines took the passion out of creating for me and I put a lot of pressure on myself. But making and donating didn't, so that's what I continue to do (currently making more for humans than animals though). I can tell you that people still send me pics of their doggos in dog coats letting me know they are still wearing them or have passed them on to new doggos. And I'm not sure if I mentioned it in my old post but pet items are essentially fashion items and you do need to consider human fashion trends each new season as tastes do change. Just because you find a good fabric for cheap doesn't mean it will sell.

This is the most effective and quickest method available here . Not aesthetically acceptable, but the dogs don't care, The police did the only thing they could.

What a crazy and amazing story!

Sorry for reviving such an old thread, but I came across it while researching small-scale pet businesses and market stall experiences, and I found your post surprisingly relevant even all these years later. What stood out to me is that you weren't just selling products—you were building relationships and trust. A lot of advice about starting a business focuses on websites, advertising, or social media, but your experience shows how valuable consistent face-to-face interaction can be. The fact that customers came back week after week, brought their dogs for measurements, and even looked for your stall when you were absent says a lot about the importance of personal service. I also think your point about customisation is incredibly important. Competing on price against mass-produced products is difficult, but offering something that solves a specific problem—like properly fitting coats for non-standard dogs—creates real value that large retailers often can't provide. The discussion about expanding into products for cats and other small animals was interesting too. It’s a good reminder that sometimes the best opportunities come from paying attention to what customers are already asking for rather than trying to predict trends. I'd actually be curious to know how the business developed after this post. Did the market stall continue to be your primary source of customers, or did online sales eventually become a bigger part of the business?

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/terrified-dog-rescued-from-inflatable-kayak-nearly-5km-out-to-sea-after-freak-wave-yanked-him-from-owners-grasp/news-story/2555444038d3e96e2b4004344026e074

https://www.nine.com.au/travel/pet-friendly-virgin-australia-flights-take-off-from-adelaide-20260605-p604a4.html

https://7news.com.au/news/crime/police-hunt-owner-after-four-year-old-girl-undergoes-plastic-surgery-following-dog-attack-in-claremont-meadows-western-sydney-c-22397331 Further reports state the dog owners have now attended Penrith Police Station.

I didn't want to comment because I thought I'd be at odds with others, but having grown up on farms as a kid it was that immediate solution to end the suffering of an animal. If the part of Mt Isa this occurred in was remote or a distance from emergency vet care or potentially a poor area with limited finances for vet care, potentially it was the kindest thing for the animal. Clearly traumatic for the residence to experience though and like a reminder of the true power of police. Sounds like the dog was free to roam like the street dogs so the fact it went under the wheels of a car is on the owners. No winners here except the dog's suffering was ended quickly.

Sad but I'd prefer my dog be shot then wait for a vet or permission. I've seen dogs shot and it's instant

Better off here regardless of racing or not. NZ doesn't have the population to find homes for all those dogs

My parents had 3 Pekes over the years. Lovely little dogs. That lovely Roly poly gait. I wish you luck in your search

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260528-how-to-know-if-your-pet-has-hay-fever-or-other-allergies

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06-03/nz-greyhounds-expected-in-queensland-ahead-of-racing-ban/106752584

Bunches has lost an eye as well - to glaucoma. This little guy is too young and I could not give him the life he deserves. I don't want to adopt or even foster any more. Thank you for searching, though

Yes, I have. Only found a couple and from overseas. I will keep trying, though There is a local park that has a FB page and I am going to ask on there.