MolassesLass

Purple Rain Pretty in Pink Mellow Yellow Roses are Red Violets are Blue (though I would have thought they were purple )

As in, you wants names with those colours in them?

4 dogs - I work fulltime but they are hardly ever without human supervision. My partner only works 3 days a week and my younger brother is living with us and is a casual worker, so between the 3 of us they would only be alone 15-20 hours a week.

There is no right or wrong answer (and it's hardly been suggested that dogs do need that). I was more asking how long people think it is safe to leave a dog (or multiple dogs) without human supervision (though emotional needs come into it as well as physical safety). I know some people are happy with weeks where only a short check is done every 24 hours (those dog minders who just drop in and feed the dog once a day).

Nope, don't like it. Would never let a stranger give my dog any food at all but my family does at get togethers, they just know to ask beforehand and require a command first.

Hence the thread. But surely you have a maximum? 24 hours, 48, a week?

Yeah I know what you mean about the guilts. For me it's about 8 hours for a baby puppy (if I have to - I prefer no more than 4) and adults is around 12. A Little less if it's overnight rather than during the day and it would be far less for a small breed.

What is the maximum time you think it's ok to leave - an 8 week old puppy - an adult alone (no one home at all)?

Yes! Currently my anti-dote is council laws on dog numbers but once I move to NSW, I don't know what I'll do.

You're certainly doing all the right things Patience is probably all you need (i.e. more than pup has for trying to get his own way ). Some pups will take longer than others. You can try to break the whine by making a short sharp noise (not a verbal noise so he knows it's you - more like a hand clap) but I would speak with Jager's breeder before doing this. Some breeds and some pups are too soft in nature for this type of thing. Also try to play with him but then stop the game and have some quiet time before putting in the pen, so he doesn't go in all hyped up and still wanting to play. Make sure you are very low-key with this type of praise. Just a soft "gooooooooood" and drop a treat in (don't directly give it), so you hardly have contact at all.

Most of the time this is true but there are dogs who will need a lot of effort to have them "grow out of it". What do you do when he cries when you are home? Do you give him attention by talking to him (even a reprimand), go over to him or have ever let him out while he was noisy? These are things that will teach Jager to whinge to get what he wants. What time limit did you start with for training to be alone? Do you praise/reward randomly when quiet and for now, always when let out (only let out when quiet)? Look for articles on crate training as this is a very similar process. I have found a couple to start with: Crate Training Article 1 Leaving Your New Puppy Alone I've not found TV/radio, tshirts or those things a help with my dogs - they're interested in being with me not my smell or any old sounds. The process of starting out with small periods of time in the pen/crate with me in view, releasing pup from pen when quiet with lots of praise (maybe a food reward) and gradually building up is what has worked for me. This has meant putting pup in the pen/crate up to 3 times in an hour at first (where they only stay in for about 30 seconds).

Good. No breeder wants a person to buy a pup from them if they are not compatible people - that's why it's so important not to lie or otherwise acquire a pup through deception. Find a breeder who asks the right amount and type of questions for you and you will get along - whether that be the breeder who asks "Male or female?" and "Got the money?" or is the one who asks for references, credit checks and DNA samples. Lie and get a dog from someone who wouldn't have wanted to sell to you and you create bad blood and most likely will have your named sullied (breeders share). This isn't about who's better than who or anything. It's about matching people for healthy, productive, relationships. Not everyone is suitable for everyone (and yes, some aren't suitable for anyone). Have the non-breeders ever considered what it would be like? Imagine if you woke up one morning and were suddenly severely allergic to your dogs. The only solution is to rehome them to strangers - who may send you a photo and a story occasionally in the first year but maybe not, either way everything is out of your hands after that decision is made. You'd have questions to ask, specific things that you feel are important to the welfare of the dog(s) you know so intimately, wouldn't you? Maybe they'd seem a little crazy/invasive to others but all that matters is you making the correct decision for your dog surely.

How would you answer the question "Do you work full time?" or "How many hours per week do you work?" I simply wouldn't answer it. It's no ones business but mine and if that meant I wouldn't be considered for a puppy from that breeder, then I probably wouldn't want one. By the same token, if they wanted references, whether they be from vets, employers (god I still can't believe that particular requirement), friends, dog trainers.......I'd look elsewhere. True. Why should it matter how many hours you work? Im and work for 9 hours a day, and yet my dog is perfectly loved, carde for, looked after, excersied etc. he is devoted to only me. dogs sleep all day when we arent around most of the time. theres no perfect world where people can spend the every waking minute with their dogs. these days people are working mor and more hours to be able to afford things, doesnt mean we love our dogs any less. Righto then, I was wrong - you wouldn't lie. But I'll have to add to my previous statement that refusing to answer perfectly reasonable questions as well as lying would mean I wouldn't sell that person a puppy. Why does it matter? Same reason any of the questions matter; because it helps me assess whether a puppy of my mine would suit your family and which specific puppy would suit best.

Just going by your post, maybe I misunderstood. How would you answer the question "Do you work full time?" or "How many hours per week do you work?"

I have a questionnaire to go on to my waiting list, I then have many informal chats to the potential owners when a litter is due. The questionnaire is more about seeing what knowledge needs improving rather than counting people out - though there are some questions that are. Makes it easier to pick liars when questions are asked a long time apart. Anyone who lies is out, no matter the lie - like GayleK saying she'd lie about her working hours, I wouldn't discount someone purely on working fulltime but I would for lying about it. Questions include: - breed specific things to see if they've researched the breed - questions to see if they know their local council laws - renting vs owning - previous dog ownership (including any death reasons) - Why they want a dog and specifically a BC - Details of other animals owned and children - Yard size, fence height, house flooring, any stairs - Where the dog will be sleeping, eating, kept when alone etc. Nothing personal or OTT IMO.

Not sure if this is directed at someone in particular... Yes I'm aware, very much so recently. One or more of them felt the need to insult non-working dogs in the recent sports thread, made them stand out very much to me. I haven't read all the posts I admit but where is the "having a crack" posts? I read people saying perhaps the wording of their ad wasn't the best thing for GSDs and dogs in general. That's not a crack though. I know what they mean too, I just think too many average pet owners are going to take it the wrong way and these type of dogs can be advertised another way that is factual but not potentially inflammatory. I completely agree that aggressive dogs shouldn't be made appealing or offered to average pet owners.

Most people don't have a problem with cops carrying handguns but do with other members of the public doing so. This is no different. I don't have any problem with aggressive dogs being owned by police/military/(non-cowboy) security but I do have a problem with anyone else having them, and I think the general public agrees. When they see ads promoting "aggression" in dogs they begin assume that the dog next door is one of these types and it promotes fear and bias. The public do not understand that police/military source dogs from pet/sporting sources, like whomever it was in this thread, they'd be very surprised to learn these dogs aren't specially bred and trained by those orgs. And clearly education isn't enough or the pitbull wouldn't be as maligned as it is. Maybe this particular ad says "for police/military owners only" and is clear (I haven't seen the ad itself, haven't checked who it is - it's inconsequential) but given the current issue in Qld (re: AmStaffs) I think the best thing everyone can do for all dogs is to be very very careful. Why not leave the information for those who understand it - advertise directly to the police/military and/or use different terms to convey the meaning. ETA: (Having seen some posts written while I was typing) - To clarify, I'm not trying to get into yet another show vs working argument, this isn't about that. I'd love the thread to continue without going any further there .

It might be an appropriate use of the word but I too think it's best for us all if dog people don't ever name "aggression" as a good/desired trait.

That is seriously cute. Love the big chunky babies too.

Never heard that before! So you're supposed to put drink bottle full of water in your garden or what? When I was a kid lots of people would have many bottles of water strewn across their lawn/garden. I think the reflection of the water through a clear bottle was supposed to scare the dogs. Though I've also heard that it's because the dog will know it's fresh water and so won't pee or poop there (like saying a dog won't toilet near their bed or food but forgetting that the dog doesn't own that yard and nor can it tell there's water in the bottle).

Long jump into water for dogs. Dock Dogs USA from World Dog Games in Sydnet last year.

"Soft drink bottles full of water will stop dogs peeing on your garden." Though I don't seem to see it anymore, everyone used to believe this.

That's an opinion not a myth.

Certainly. My post wasn't a vet-bashing; just a reminder that no vet nor vet test is 100% accurate and we need to do research ourselves, not just follow instructions blindly.