Diva

I started using a Dremel as my old girl had very strong nails and I didn't have the hand strength to clip them. All my dogs have tolerated it well until the latest, she prefers clippers. The model I have is chargeable and kind of gun shaped.

I read 8.63 as meaning that 'coursing dogs' are dogs that engage in the sport of lure coursing, regardless of breed? They could have said sighthounds that engage in lure coursing, but they left it at dogs.

Yes I am sure that the competitive lure coursers do not live bait. They just have fit dogs that love to do it. As for getting a Dobermann to course, as much as I like them I am pretty sure ALL lure coursing dogs will be caught by the proposed regulation, Dobes, Terriers, Goldies, cross breeds, EVERYONE.

I didn't say the greyhound people extended the recommendation to lure coursing, where did you get that from? I believe the original proposal came from the RSPCA, who proposed that no sighthound should be able to live with a small animal, even if the dog had nothing to do with coursing. The inquiry limited it to coursing dogs, still not questioning the sheer insult of assuming sighthound owners are all animal abusers in waiting. Of course it is the quick movement, but lure coursing dogs have every chance to catch the bags at the end. They know what they are chasing. The incentive of competition is not the same as the incentives of prize money and gambling. You really think it was the thrill of competition that drove those barbaric racing practices? I think it was money, greed pure and simple. No money in lure coursing. No gambling. No wastage. No crime. No cruelty. Very different to racing. I am not going tit for tat with you all night, but lure coursing is not the same as greyhound racing, and should not be dragged into the mess the racers have made. Pony club vs the Melbourne Cup.

No, chasing live animals does not increase the drive to chase plastic. The dogs are not that stupid. My reluctant courser has no reluctance when she sees a fox or rabbit on the farm. That enthusiasm does not carry over to plastic, it is notorious that it does not. Those comments show you know nothing about the sport at all. And lure coursing is pretty much the least ego driven of the dog sports, as my overseas friends who do both would say "We show for us. We course for the dogs". And no it isn't the same kind of sport as greyhound racing, that is like saying pony club is the same kind of sport as thoroughbred racing. We have none of the incentives that plague the racing industry - no prize money, no gambling, no prestige. 'Just in case' is no reason. That is just some arrogant few wanting to impinge the rights of ordinary people.

Yeah but why? There is nothing more potentially unethical about the hobby than there is about ANY amateur dog sport. Nothing. They chase plastic bags. They KNOW they are plastic bags. Why should we change hobbies for a deeply flawed regulatory proposal. Instead, why shouldn't the proposal be howled down as the embarrassing stupidity it is? The only logic in this regulation is as a step to banning all pets. It has zero logic otherwise. It is not about preventing cruelty. There is no cruelty.

Not everyone is ethical in any domain, better ban all pets as that is the only way you can be sure no one is doing the wrong thing. The big deal with lure coursing is that no one should be singled out to have their rights impinged because someone who knows nothing thinks they 'might' do something, despite no evidence they would. I thank my lucky stars I don't live in NSW because if the rule came in I would have to either stop lure coursing my dogs or get rid of the 13 yr old cat they share their beds with. Because, you know, there is such a high chance I might stick the cat on a lure.

I love the look of PONs

'Converting old poultry sheds' .... I would bet that they end up housing the dogs in conditions that would get a breeder prosecuted.

One of the interesting things that came out of some of the more recent studies I read was that it also differs between breeds, in some breeds early or young adult de sexing reduces longevity, in others not really.

I posted the Rottweiler study when it was first released

I wonder what we as the general membership of lure coursing did to have a recommendation made against us that our rights be removed? We didn't do anything wrong, the report concedes that. We have no ability to influence greyhound racing, different community. We are just 'collateral damage'. The day that kind of scope creep becomes acceptable in regulation is the day no rights in pet ownership are beyond arbitrary removal.

I had no idea there was a social track

There was a study done of the ACT response, can't find it now but I am pretty sure it made no difference to dumping? Someone else might have the paper

My Tervueren had it an advanced age, recovered fine and no recurrence. I am not sure you can do anything except good quality care, which I am sure she is getting.

Colour dilution alopecia is thought to be caused by a faulty version of the dilution allele d. So in effect there are two different forms of d causing blue, one causes the alopecia and the other has no health effects. Which explains why the incidence varies between different breeds, they might have one or other or both versions of the dilution within the breed. www.doggenetics.co.uk is a good up to date site for colour genetics.

The report says if I live in NSW and lure course it should be a criminal offense for me to keep a chook or a cat because I might decide to live bait. They found no evidence of any wrongdoing in lure coursing. None of the financial or cultural incentives that apply in commercial greyhound racing apply in lure coursing. But I would be banned from pet keeping because as a meek and mild middle aged participant in a dog sport I might at heart be an animal abuser. Time to ditch the idea that there has to be an actual risk to animals for your personal liberties to be infringed. Not doing anything wrong and having less than zero probability of acting cruelly counts for less than nothing if this becomes law. It would set a huge precedent to take away your ability to own animals because someone who knows nothing sees a possibility someone 'could' act cruelly, despite no supporting evidence.

Once he starts at the training club you may well find people there with safe dogs to socialise with, in more controlled situations.

Sounds like it depends on your own level of self control, only you know your threshold. As long as I was allowed to do my training my way it would be doable for me, but if you think you will be driven to intervene probably better to stick to on line.

What the breeder did is standard practice, and many pet owners never bother to transfer the registration. In the ACT I registered straight into the new owners names but I don't think this is an option in many states.

They sometimes bark louder than they used in my experience.

When my old Belgian became deaf she still liked to be outside of an evening, so we worked out a system where I would turn the porch light on and off as a signal to come in for the night. Saved going out to find her in the garden. If she was with me, I made sure I was in front of her or stamped to get her attention before asking her to do anything, she still understood from body language and hand signals. So if she didn't want to do something I asked she turned her back to me deliberately 'can't hear you so I don't have to'. Dear old soul.

Besides supplements (4ctye is good) and medications another thing which can help if you have access is hydrotherapy. Basically a treadmill in a tank of water, the level of the water can be adjusted to support joints. Seems to work well for the oldies and for rehab at any age.

My typical pattern is that vet costs are minimal until the last few months of life. So Arwen cost several thousand earlier this year as she was at the vet every three days to make sure she had no pain right up until the end. But those last five weeks cost more at the vet than the whole previous nine years by far. Around $5k this year compared to one routine visit plus worming plus any chiro which is discretionary for her in a normal year. No fleas here which is a saving. Of course as a big dog everything costs more anyway. I don't really notice the food bill, I am sure I could halve it if I needed to but it doesn't sting as is so I don't worry about trying.

It would work if your consistency and timing is good. The value of the clicker is that it is the same sound everytime and without emotional content or confusing chatter. I tend to just use a marker word as I find it easier but a clicker gives the opportunity for more precision. If you can make a consistent mouth sound and stick to the principles of clicker training then much the same.