Greytmate

Oh these are awesome thanks. I am toying with the idea of putting all the rescue dogs thru the greenhounds program I know there is one in Victoria but I cant for the life of me find it right now. I know in some states you can do in home training and then have them tested but in Victoria I am sure they need to go to a kennel for a week so still looking into that. What do you think? Worth it to be able to send the dogs out with a green collar or better to let the owners go through it with their pets? We have one adopter who moved to Victoria and she's having her girl assessed through GAP. As far as I know, this does involve the dog being kenneled there for some amount of time but I'm not sure of the exacts. I don't think Victoria has quite the same thing as NSW but it's worth seeing if you can become an approved assessor. Greyhound Safety Net would be best able to answer questions there. Perhaps send them a PM. http://gap.grv.org.au/Portals/16/GAP%20Fact%20Sheets/GAP%20Fact%20Sheet%20New%20Green-Collar%20Assesments.pdf They have to stay there for a week :) There's a wait though, to get them in. Another thing to consider is that if you put all your greyhounds through the Greenhound assessment, in addition to the cost ($150 non-refundable) it will add to the waiting list for dogs that will go through GAP. Ie, for every dog that has safe backup with a rescue and goes through it, one that doesn't can't. It isn't as simple as that I'm sure, but it's just another thing to think about. I suppose it depends on what your aims are for the rescue you operate. If your aim is to get as many dogs into good homes as possible, it may be better to spend money, time and effort elsewhere. One of the good things about greyhound rescues is that they are able to pick up dogs that fall through the cracks, and end up in pounds/on gumtree etc, rather than going through GAP. GAP only takes on so many, and there is a waiting list for that as well, which is a deterrent for some owners/trainers. I suppose it depends on your I'm not saying that it's a bad idea, just .. there are a lot of elements to think about, I guess. Also, I really don't mean to be rude, but it sounds like there are a few things to think about before you set it up. Whether to register as a charity, what that means and requires.. there are a lot of things to get your head around, and it's not for the faint hearted. Greyhound Safety Net are based in Mornington already and I'm sure they are always in need of foster carers - I've never seen a rescue that couldn't use a few extra hands, PARTICULARLY if they are able to foster.. Perhaps it would be better to join with an established group and foster and get involved in the running of that before starting your own? I know I said this in another thread a few days ago, about starting a rescue, but I really do think there is value in helping existing groups rather than having a lot of smaller ones. The less competition there is between groups who have broadly the same aims (ie, to help greyhounds), teh better - you don't want to have to fight for people's attention, money, support, time, effort.. and it will invariably happen, because an organisation is an organisation is an organisation. Each has aims and requirements, and particularly when they're involved in dog rescue, there is always a need for more money for vet fees, transport, marketing, .. everything. The less double up there is in terms of admin and overheads among people who want to work for the same thing, the more each dollar can do. Kay's Greys is another Melbourne based greyhound rescue group - I fostered for Kay in a former life, when she was part of Greyhound Rescue. Which is Sydney based but had a branch in Vic at the time (not sure if it still does). There are others too, perhaps get in contact with them and see what would be really helpful for them? I do understand the desire to do it yourself and run things your way, etc etc- trust me, I'm an introverted control freak. But I just often see little rescues starting up here and there and think, all the time and money spent trying to establish yourself could've gone so much further. If the aim is to get more dogs into good homes, a critical mass is a really good thing. If the general public need to know more about waht great pets greyhounds can make (and I think they do!), then if people worked together to get that message out, it's better than each group trying to get their own name known. It's better to have a broader focus, I suppose, and focus on the bigger picture. Despite all of that - if it's possible to become a Greenhjound assessor that would be BRILLIANT. You could do SO, so much good work for all sorts of people. I'm sure all greyhound rescue organisations would love the chance to get their hounds assessed without the requirement that they send them away, pay $150, (and in most cases, I doubt they want to co-operate and give $$ to the industry....). I really don't want to be a mean, rude person to come and burst your bubble, but I really, really love greyhounds.. I guess I just think in many cases, people's time and effort would be better spent bolstering the things already in existence instead of starting new ones. There are very good points but I have fostered in the past and just had too many bad experiences. Dogs placed in homes I didnt think were acceptable and had no say. Rescues knowing I had children sending me dogs that were not good with kids, being stuck with vet bills that the rescue should have paid but never did. I ran a successful rescue for 11 years and love it. I am very picky on where my dogs go, I had humane societies shipping me dogs that would be put down if I didnt work with them. Some took 6 months to a year to rehab but I was very successful. I have seen rescues bad mouth the race dog owners and I do not think that is the proper way to help these dogs. I want the dogs to come from the track to a home where they are worked with to get over fears and learn to live with a family. I dont ever plan to board a dog or have them in kennels, just a nice warm house :) I just want to be a small organization that helps dogs. I have a trainer that is willing to send me the dogs they can no longer keep and she may have friends too that need our help. I want to focus on ex racers and getting them into a retirement home instead of them being euthanized. On the other subject I may look into becoming an assessor it would be great to be able to offer this service free to rescues, I think it would go a long way to helping more greyhounds than just those that find themselves at my house. You might find it helpful to see what other greyhound adoption groups are doing in Victoria and learn more about the industry before you set something up. If you are exclusively taking dogs from only one or two trainers you can't really expect charity donations. You might like to look at the bigger picture to get an idea about how your organisation should be run and how to manage intake in an effective way. You also need to know more about the standards required for a dog to pass the green collar test if you are going to be selling greyhound as pets.

That is a really horrible sales pitch. Its not a new or unique idea to sell the concept of foster caring but I've never seen it done so disingenuously before.

Don't argue about dogs, this is about your sister in law. Whatever objections she puts forward, could also apply to people. Smelly, noisy, messy, disease-ridden species that we are. When it comes down to her real objection, it is about her dislike of dogs. Counter that by telling her that lucky for her, your dogs love everybody. As long as everybody behaves themselves. :)

I really like that concept.

I once had a person call up GAP and ask for a male greyhound to borrow to breed with his whippet. He was in a wheelchair and wanted to breed an assistance dog. I explained very nicely why it wouldn't be a good idea but he kept arguing. He had a bullshit answer for everything. He was so ignorant and didn't want to listen. After I got off the phone, he then called the greyhound racing authority phone number. I was next to the phone and so I answered it. It was him again, asking for the names of racing greyhound stud dogs and the contacts details for the stud owners. I won't tell you what I said to the man but it was quite short and insulting before I hung up the phone on him.

That's a very poor analogy. You are unlikely to be told if a car has had problems, but if you are concerned you would buy a new car or at least a car with a documented service history. The same opportunity is there with dogs. You can buy a new pup or you can buy an older dog that has a documented history. But if you do buy an older car or an older dog you have to accept that things may have happened that you will never know about. You are buying exactly what you see in front of you, and there are heaps of good older cars and good older dogs to choose from. When buying a car or a dog, I would give the same advice. Buy the best one you can afford, of a type that suits your lifestyle, from an ethical dealer. Cars or dogs that have obvious damage might be unsafe or unrepairable. But if you go out and buy a wrecked car, because you feel sorry for it, you won't seem compassionate, you will seem like a fool. As I said in my post,dogs are more than second hand cars and everyone is entitled to their own opinion on how to repair the damage but it does help IMO to know the cause. No it doesn't help. Inventing a fantasy tells us about the type of person you are. But it doesn't help the dog. You are entitled to give your opion and others are entitled to say that it is wrong. I think your attitude is harmful to dogs and your unwillingness to explain your reasons is selfish. Maybe you lack compassion?

That's a very poor analogy. You are unlikely to be told if a car has had problems, but if you are concerned you would buy a new car or at least a car with a documented service history. The same opportunity is there with dogs. You can buy a new pup or you can buy an older dog that has a documented history. But if you do buy an older car or an older dog you have to accept that things may have happened that you will never know about. You are buying exactly what you see in front of you, and there are heaps of good older cars and good older dogs to choose from. When buying a car or a dog, I would give the same advice. Buy the best one you can afford, of a type that suits your lifestyle, from an ethical dealer. Cars or dogs that have obvious damage might be unsafe or unrepairable. But if you go out and buy a wrecked car, because you feel sorry for it, you won't seem compassionate, you will seem like a fool.

Pavlov isn't being harsh, she asked a question. Nobody here has been able to explain why using imagination to invent a past could be helpful to the dog. It's natural for us to be curious as to why people think it is helpful and ask why they think that. Some people are curious about the past and will do a lot of research into documented family history. That's fine. But conjuring up an imaginary past life, just for fun, isnt curiosity. It's fantasy- play. Usually a story where the dog was the victim of evil treatment and the current owner is the saviour. The story tells you nothing about the dog and everything about how the new owner sees themself. People are free to imagine any story they like but posting the story online invites people to question this type of thinking.

Very good idea. :) When I ran GAP I set up a Townsville and a Mackay branch because enough interested people had come forward from those areas wanting to help. It worked well because the branches were run under our system and had our support and resources. They were given training in how to follow the procedure, and I was able to be easily contacted to sort out any major problems. Good way to save money and to strengthen the exposure for a good organisation.

Thank you so much Gretel for helping me point them in the right direction. This is Molly, who they picked up today.

I think it's important to give new foster carers as much info as you can about preparing the dog for a new home. Grooming, manners, obedience, observation in different settings, there is so much that foster carers can do and that they need to watch out for. But to also have them responsible for screening new homes is asking too much I think. As well as the risk of an inexperienced carer inadvertently placing the dog in an unsuitable home, you do not want a new foster carer being pressured by people. There are plenty of great homes out there, but there is a whole lot of people out there with strange ideas who will call up about dogs too. It's best if new volunteers don't have to deal with that until they gain some confidence in being a carer.

If you say a behaviour is odd, it can be assumed you don't think it is usual or normal. Or does odd mean something else to you? Somebody else recently stated a thread about their dog's behaviour that they found odd, and a few suggestions were made about possible reasons. I think these discussions can be helpful, even if that's not why you started the thread.

I understand what you are saying and why dogs may choose certain sleeping spots over others, and it goes without saying my dogs are provided with a wide range of sleeping options. I am also aware of resource guarding. Whilst it may be the case with other dogs, it is not the case with Kayla. Yes I do sometimes allow her to sleep in doorways. She is an older girl that has spinal issues, and quite frankly on days when she is feeling stiff or tired she can sleep wherever she wants and I will make sure the other dogs have access to where they need to go. FWIW, this thread was meant as a light-hearted discussion about the various spots that dogs may choose to sleep in, or even photos of such. Perhaps next time I shall avoid the use of adjectives such as 'odd' and qualify my statements in terms of the above, which to be honest I hadn't thought necessary at the time given the intention of the thread. There is no harm in phrasing something you think is odd as a question. I just don't think it's odd, and is no less a serious topic for discussion of dog behaviour than most other we have going on here. Dogs do lots of dog things, and the combined knowledge here on DOL can explain the meanings behind or reasons for some of it. Our dogs are better off if we can gain a little understanding of them and their needs rather than just laughing at them for not behaving like a little furry person. You think your targeted dog is confused, I would suggest the possibly the dog has a good idea of what is going on, and is displaying subtly anxious behaviour. Up to you if you want to look into it more or if you are happy to think your dogs are odd or confused and leave it at that.

Ha ha, must tell my 11 year old Chequers that she should prefer soft cosy bedding to the doorway! In her case it has nothing to do with guarding or seeing what is going on around them it is simply where she wants to be. How do you know this? What do you think the advantage is to her sleeping in a door way? Lots of dogs sleep in doorways, far more than it just being accountable to a random coincidence. There are reasons why some dogs choose to sleep in doorways at some times. But it's not unusual for the owners to be unaware of why they might be doing it. In the same way that most people like to be in rooms with windows so they can see out, many dogs like to look out doorways - for them it's a window at dog height. Not odd or inexplicable, even if they can't talk to us and tell us why they chose that spot to rest.

I would rather my dog wake me up by licking my face than wake me up by barking loudly in my ear. Depends on which way I am facing when she comes in to wake me up.

That doesn't sound odd. It is normal for animal to seek soft cosy spots, or to choose to sit in places that are out of the way (refuge) or where they can see what is going on, like in a doorway (prospect). Another reason dogs lie in doorways is to deter other dogs from going past. It's resource guarding. It's up to us to provide sleeping spots for our pets that are soft and cosy, where they won't be tripped over, and where they can see what is going on around them. And to make them get out of the doorway if it means people or other pets are denied access.

Which behavioural traits are you saying are not genetic and which are linked to X and which are linked to Y? If there is evidence of this it would be handy to know.

Contact the club secretary of the show, and tell them you want to make a statement in regards to the incident. The secretary should have started an incident report and should know who witnesses are or have already taken statements off them. If this hasn't happened, yes I would contact council. If the club is investigating properly, then they are fulfilling their obligations but it's up to you if you want to take it further. All a club can do is ban a member, or require the particular dog to be muzzled at club events. Be wary of people lying, or witnesses who "don't want to be involved". If a club member witnesses something like this and refuses to give a statement, they are still a witness and can be questioned by police or council.

I've seen two bitches in the same litter, same rearing, turn out different from each other. In the same way that I am different from my siblings. Inheritance isn't just a straight out half and half from each parent, some kids will have some of Mum's nature and traits, some will have some of Dads, some will be a mix of both and some might end up with with some of the recessives from grandparents or even ancestors further back. Genotype is inherited, but phenotype can vary depending on the combination of what has been inherited. . There has been research showing that the nature of the dam will affect the way the pups turn out because of early environment. She teaches the pups how to react to things. If she is aggressive her pups will be living with that and learning. So you wouldn't want to buy a dog with faulty parents, or grandparents, or great grandparents. That's why it's so important to buy from a registered breeder. unregistered breeders don't allow you to know anything further back than the current generation. I'm not sure why people would think there is no genetic component to breed. Pugs act differently to whippets, GSDs act differently to King Charles Spaniels. We have breeds that act at different stages of the prey drive sequence, and we have dogs that are motivated by different things to go into drive, and to come out of drive. The great thing about registered purebreed pups is that you have an idea of the dog's potential. I think you have a better chance of a knowing exactly what a dog is like as an adult than a pup. Buy a pup if it suits you to raise a pup, it's a lot of work. Buy an adult dog that has been assessed if you don't want the extra work of owning a pup, or want to give an adult dog a second chance.

That is very anthropomorphic. Understanding that current dog behaviour doesn't always give accurate clues about the way the dog has been treated in the past is not a 'head in the sand' approach. It's being realistic. If you need to know a dog's history in order to fix its issues, buy one with a known history. Don't use your imagination, because imaginations tend to focus on nurture and gloss over the nature of the dog.

Start by looking in your garden. If you have a weed like this one, get rid of it. Many dogs are allergic to this very common garden weed, Wandering Jew. It grows in shady spots, so this is the time of year that dogs are more likely to be in contact with it. Good luck, I hope your allergy is simple to solve.

The important things for older dogs are exercise and the correct amount of stimulation. If a dog (rescue or not) doesn't particularly enjoy being around other dogs, then it shouldn't be continually put in situations where there are other dogs. If the owner lives in an environment where other dogs cannot be avoided when exercising (most suburbs), then they should think about getting help from a private trainer (not a club) to help desensitise their dog in a controlled way. So, yes, by not socialising their mature dog, these people are managing the dog correctly. Not all dogs, rescue or otherwise, enjoy being in a group of strange dogs.

Genuine answer - how can you assume a dog was beaten every time it was looked at? Behaviour modification is about modifying current behaviour. How can it be about anything else? Do you know the histories of these dogs, or are you just accepting the story you have been told that they did have a terrible history? If you describe something as miraculous, is it because you think a miracle has happened, or is it that you think the efforts that have gone into 'rehab' have been miraculous? Expectations are a big factor, and those who choose to take home dogs with problems usually expect that they can solve that problem. The ones that don't expect the problem to be solvable usually will choose another dog. The expectations usually have no relation to how capable the new owner is, except where the owner is capable enough to know to avoid taking on that dog. This is my experience too. Not only from when I instructed obedience, but from when I was rehoming dogs with known histories. Many people would tend to attribute problems to imagined history, rather that look at how they manage the dog themselves. They would often excuse behaviour or have trouble being firm, because they feel sorry for the dog because of an imagined sad history. They think the dog will appreciate this. I would say that this might be the case for many people. Vets are still routinely telling clients not to take the dog out until 20 weeks vaccs, and so there are countless dogs who are happy with the familiar and scared of the unfamiliar - including the lovely new family that has just adopted it. But people don't tend to say "She was missing her old home so much, she was so frightened of me when I first met her, until she got used to me. " But you do hear " She was so abused in her old home that she was frightened of me when I first met her, and we had to do a lot to help her not be frightened. " Yes, we can. Because it happens a lot. If you were the person they came to for help, you would see what some of us are saying. This is so strong with some people they wouldn't buy a dog with unknown breeding, let alone an unknown history.

why? Is it hurting them? Many of the undesirable behaviours that have been described, especially nervousness, are probably much more likely to be inherent in the dog than being caused by past ownership. Plenty of dogs cope with terrible ownership very well. The stories people tell seem to propagate a harmful myth that all dogs are bred with equally stable temperaments and that bad ownership is the only problem. It ignores the fact that some dogs are well bred or fortunate enough to be a happy dog despite less than perfect owners. It ignores the fact that some people breed dogs with terrible nervy temperaments. Badly bred dogs with temperament faults are more likely to end up being dumped. Its not the dogs fault and it's good that they are happy in a new home, but why shouldn't crappy breeders get as much blame as anyone?

No. Follow vet instructions exactly. Ear infections are notorious for recurring and so stopping treatment as soon as you think it's clear gives the bugs a chance to come back but with higher resistance to treatment. My dogs really love having ears cleaned but even they occasionally yelp if I hit a tender area unexpectedly. But I know it doesn't really hurt because they come back for more. Strange dogs that they are. A dogs ear canal is L shaped, so a cotton swab can't do any damage. But use whatever is easiest for you and the dog to keep the ears clean whether a cotton ball or rolled up tissue or whatever.