SkySoaringMagpie

Also, I thought when I first heard that DAS ad bragging about great rehoming rates in the ACT that it was a big mistake to do that. The article seems to bear that out.

Article is up now but is an abridged version: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local...ms/1869388.aspx Bid to clamp down on ACT puppy farms BY PHILLIP THOMSON 26 Jun, 2010 12:00 AM Puppy farms breeding dogs with health defects are producing too many canines for the pet market and forcing ACT authorities to euthanise more dogs. The intensive dog-breeding operations likened to the cruellest of battery chicken farms could soon be bitten by stricter ACT laws now being debated. Experts say the dark side of the canine industry makes bitches give birth every six months to earn thousands of dollars. The oversupply forced ACT authorities to put down dozens more dogs this year. Domestic Animal Services euthanised 209 dogs this financial year, 20 per cent more than the 172 dogs put down in 2008-09. A greater number of puppies from interstate farms are also ending up in the ACT. The territory's 96 per cent success rate at finding homes for orphaned animals is putting more pressure on the ACT as Canberrans save dogs from NSW. RSPCA ACT chief executive Michael Linke said, ''We've had a lot of people rescuing dogs on death row in Goulburn or Yass and handing them to us. ''Or people from places like Cooma will come into the ACT to surrender their dogs because they know about our re-homing rates. ''We're dealing with 20 per cent more animals than five years ago.'' Pet owners no longer wanting to look after their dogs are waiting as long as three months to get their canines into the RSPCA, according to Ginninderra MLA Mary Porter. Ms Porter outlined possible changes to laws this week to regulate the companion animal industry. The MLA wants laws to make it compulsory for published dog advertisements to contain the breeder's specifics, including address and identification number. She will issue a discussion paper by August and plans to push through the first mandatory code for animal owners in Australia. ''The RSPCA is at capacity in terms of sheltering unwanted dogs,'' Ms Porter said. ''I anticipate a mandatory code would ultimately apply to all sellers of companion animals, and will seek to apply practical measures that cover sales advertised on the internet or in the printed media, as well as in pet stores.'' For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times.

I think personality has a lot to do with it, but I think breed also factors in. In my breed they often become much more aloof and independent around this age which presents specific training challenges. In other breeds traditionally bred for fighting, this is often when you will often start to see DA emerge.

For me doping is pretty close to surgery in the heinous stakes because temperament is a serious issue for the future of any breed. It's mostly doping them to adjust for excessive shyness or aggression I have concerns with. Giving them some caffeine for extra show ring zip and sparkle isn't something I'd do but it's not as disturbing.

A lot of dogs end up discarded when they hit adolescence because they become not so cute, and harder to handle - so: What general advice would you give to a new puppy owner about what to expect in dog adolescence? What general advice would you give about how to handle dog adolescence? Are there any breed specific things that come out in the temperament in your breed during adolescence that you think prospective owners should be aware of before committing?

I would LOVE to see drug testing but I think the expense - and I'm not just talking about the testing but the regulatory framework around it - makes it unfeasible. Edited to fix a tautology...

Something pointed out to me last night which I hadn't clued in on - is part of the concern people have with missing out on showing to do with pointscore? I don't do pointscore, and all my dogs are titled, so I don't feel compelled to either enter or show up at every show. Basically I show if I feel like it. I guess if you were in pointscore tho', and it was important to you, missing a show would become a bigger deal. I'm inclined to agree with Hogz tho', even leaving aside all the other considerations I am far too busy on the day to be able to show my dogs properly as well.

It's not just the breed standards, it's in the regulations for the canine controls. From the DogsACT Regs: 7.8 Dogs Improperly Prepared. A dog is considered to be improperly prepared if: 1. The natural colour or shade of natural colour or the natural markings of the dog have been altered or changed by the use of any substance whatsoever; 2. Any substance, preparation, powder or fluid used for cleaning has been applied to and remains on the dog during exhibition to such an extent as to deceive or be likely to deceive a judge whether it was applied with intent to deceive or not; 3. Any cutting, piercing, breaking by force, or any kind of operation or act which destroys the tissues of the ears or alters their natural formation or carriage, or shortens the tail or alters the carriage of the tail, has been practiced, provided however, that shortening the tail shall be allowable in the case of breeds accepted by. 4. At no time may a Non Registrable Docked Dog be exhibited or shown at an exhibition or show.

Also, I gather cropping is used in some parts of the middle east to indicate ownership, much the same as a brand is. That's why you'll see dogs with only one or part of an ear off.

Please keep a look out for an entire male Beagle "Woody" missing from his yard this afternoon. Please contact Paul on 0437 595 211 if you have any information about Woody's possible whereabouts. Woody's picture is available on the DOL profiles section here: http://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/profile.asp?dog=9769 As you can imagine, Paul is frantic with worry. Yes police have been called, RSPCA/DAS notified etc

Some clubs are reluctant because they are worried about how well it will be supported. I have three unused sashes from before the ANKC announcement in our spare bedroom. Trophies I can reuse, neuter sashes not so much. Offering to donate the sashes and prizes will sort out those clubs from those for whom it is a specific issue with neuters. People who disapprove of the neuter title definitely exist, and some of them are on committees. Perhaps here on DOL we can have a pinned thread where shows offering the neuter certificate are listed in a separate thread.

Run free Sally, thinking of you dogmad.

An average dinner plate.

The original texts on hunting with dogs are here: http://www.arabiansaluki.ae/hunting-islam.html Salukis do not have the special blessing of Allah, it is the prey that must have the name of Allah spoken over it. Edit: To clarify that it is true that distinction is drawn between salukis/hunting hounds and "kelb" in many parts of the middle east. However, it's important to bear in mind that the cultures - like any cultures - are still changing. Some of the younger men will bred with anything that they think will get them the fastest dog with the quickest kill, much to the despair of their elders. There is an active rescue program in the UAE, even Salukis aren't always treated well by people who prize them for their abilities. This is not dissimilar to the west, we have a greyhound industry operating on much the same model. Also, for some people, Saluki or not, any dog is unclean.

It's interesting how evenly split the views are - last time I looked it was 41/41 yes/no.

Often what is going on there is "signaling" to other humans that you see that the behaviour from the dog isn't the desired behaviour. It's very closely related to the handler putting themselves down, it's about "getting in first" before anyone else has a chance to criticise. You see it on walks in public spaces where someone yells at their dog for showing on leash aggression. Yelling isn't going to help the on leash aggression, but it does signal to the world "hey, I see it, I'm dealing with it, don't give me grief about it". This is something I struggle with. I love my dogs because they are the best dogs in the world. But in public I will sometimes call them things like "baggage" or "idiot" because they've done something "difficult". If you asked me what I'm aiming for instead, I'd say something I read in a book about showing once, which is that if you treat your dog with disrespect you're encouraging others (including judges) to think the same, and therefore you should always show a little dignity. But early hard wiring is hard to overcome and I know I do it when stressed and unthinking. OTOH there will be other people who consider "idiot" an affectionate word, we are Australians after all . With my girls particularly if I'm calling them baggage, sometimes i'm doing it because they have outdone me in the sighthound mind game stakes and there is more than a little respect mixed in. This stuff is rarely straightforward, but mindfulness goes a long way.

Double check your calculations for the cheque if entering by snail mail. Overpayments are nearly as irritating as underpayments for the books - they all create extra work.

I'm not claiming anything here will be new for the old timers and feel free to add anything I have missed. Benefits: - Make friends - Get to know local doggie "history", the war stories can explain a lot about why things are the way they are today in your local area - Expand your dog network considerably, and you never know when that will help with your own plans - Learn in detail everything involved with running a show and a club, the former helps with your participation in dog world and the latter is just a good life skill - For both show committee and stewards, an opportunity to meet and chat with a range of judges over lunch. Great opportunity to listen and learn. - A chance to polish up or learn skills like marketing, organisational skills, financial skills, event management, publishing etc etc And if you're planning to be a judge in ACT anyway you HAVE to demonstrate you have participated in a club committee and stewarded etc. Yes there is stuff about it that is a drag, including the corrupt; the arseholes; the hopeless and the helpless. And yes sometimes your local club is a closed shop or rather dysfunctional. However, in many places this isn't so and if it is, there's probably another club out there that could use your help.

My view is that everyone should be on a committee or contribute in some way every year. It needn't be an office bearer position and by "in some way" I mean other stuff as well ie, stewarding, card writing, helping at working bees, donating if you have cash for trophies, helping with show training classes etc. I know there are some people who will never contribute, but while I agree that breed clubs and remote clubs are a different case, I have trouble seeing how someone living in our region is "missing out" by not showing one or two weekends a year. I'm going to start a separate thread about the benefits of being on a committee. Yes you have whingers but you also have significant benefits, especially for people who are not already all breeds judges and have ambitions to go further in dog world.

I agree with this, for some people there is always some other excuse for why they didn't win. I think probably the poll should be split into All Breeds, Group Clubs and Breed Clubs. My suspicion is that you'd get more people saying All Breeds committees shouldn't show and less people saying Breed Club committee shouldn't show (providing the judge selection process is transparent). Edited to fix quoting

For those voting yes, would it bother you if the President or the Secretary of the club won BIS or RUBIS?

This is one of those religious subjects like neuter classes, whether judges should show, and whether grand champions should show. People are never going to agree. I am secretary of two clubs (one group, one all breeds) and I don't show at either. For the group club, president, secretary and families/partners do not show. For the all breeds, committee do not show. My opinion is based on living in NSW, near Canberra. It is no great sacrifice for me to not show at one All Breeds weekend a year. It is a slightly bigger sacrifice not to show at the Group club shows but it is worth it. If I want a specialist opinion I can travel to Sydney or Melbourne once a year. If i want to show at a Sighthound or Hound Group show, ditto. The main argument for showing while on committee is that the "committee do not show" rule is offensive to the judge, and in the case of breed clubs, is unfair on the breed club committee. Re offensive to the judge, personally being a public servant i have no issues with the fact that usually you are not avoiding an actual conflict of interest, you're avoiding a perceived conflict of interest. I have no doubt that if I had showed at any of the shows I was secretary for that the judges would have done their own thing. But as someone said to me early on, even if it's honest, you do not want to win a BIS at a show where you were the Secretary because the damage it will do to your reputation and the club's reputation will be significant. Re breed clubs, I think a lot can be fixed by making the appointments super transparent. So if the entire club membership votes each year on the nominations, I see no issue with anyone showing. I think the Club has to make an effort to cover the range of "styles" tho', if the club only ever appoints one style of judge then you also have an issue. Edited for spelling.

I try to remember that I'm a dog obedience instructor, not a shrink paid $150 an hour to work out that person's issues. So I don't get personal. However, I think genuine praise for good work helps. So like I would with a dog, I try to catch them doing the right thing, and I point it out. The other thing is that I give all my guys a short speech about what "impresses" me because i think a lot of this stuff is done for the benefit of other adult humans who are watching, not for the person or their dog. So I say that if their dog does not do what is required, I will not be impressed by anyone acting tough or putting themselves or their dog down, and that what I want to see is people stopping and thinking constructively about how to fix the problem - that's what is impressive to me as an instructor. So explicitly give them permission to fail so long as they use the failure as an opportunity to learn.

ILDD's Tibetan was in the final three for PIS but it went to the Smooth Collie. ABIS went to the Golden. Go Magic, he's a handsome young man!

:) :cheer: For Mr Bond and Elkie, well done!