Greytmate

Maybe she's always dreamed of a wedding like this, but hasn't got anyone to marry. So she thought she would have a wedding anyway.

Quoting the entire proposal doesn't change what's being suggested any more than taking out bits to use as examples. The last thing I quoted from that document means foster carers would be unable to exercise their foster dogs outside of their own yard or take them to promotional events. I can see the reasoning behind that (public safety) however.. it's not addressing the actual problems. Go back and read the original document carefully, I think you are getting confused. It is only the juvenile foster dogs (baby puppies) that cannot be taken out to places, not dogs under behavioural rehabilitation. I still can't really see too much wrong with this proposed new law. Perhaps seeing a vet every fortnight rather than week would be appropriate for dogs under behavioural rehabilitation. The average vet is not a dog behaviourist though, so I can see maybe some issues there. But there is a shortage of qualified dog behaviourists, and at least vets have some relevant qualifications.

Golden Retriever, Australian Shepherd, Collie Rough, Shetland Sheepdog, Irish Water Spaniel, Irish Setter, Red and White Setter, Brittany Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, Long Haired Weimeraner. All have varying activity levels, different training needs and differing levels of independence, but I would not rule out any of them yet. With dogs, you will get individual in all breeds that are good with poultry, and there is no breed where every individual dog can be 100% trusted either. But you can look at breed, then lines (families) and then individual pups in a litter who might be better than than others. Or you can choose an adult dog that has been tested with chickens.

I have seen a few dogs good with cats but not birds, and some good with birds and not cats. I would watch them, and stop the play if the dog gets overexcited. But I would do that whether or not the dog killed the bird.

At first glance those laws seem ok to me. They are all designed with animal welfare in mind. Currently, many rescue organisations are very dodgy, they attract plenty of volunteers and burn them, they attract donations and waste them. In absence of any self regulation - to the point that animal hoarders are given encouragement - these laws seem sensible. What it requires is for rescue to be well organised, well funded, and to be able to form alliances with the vets and behaviourists that share the personal ethics that their organisation is espousing. I welcome a law review and wonder if there are individual points within it that need further discussion. If a group did meet those standards, how much more likely that orgs like LDH have no more excuses not to pass on dogs to them? They would lose their current argument.

A wiem or a dane could really suit you if you want guarding.

Yes my partner would actually love a greyhound, and I'm quite keen on them myself. Only thing is, one of the main reasons we would even be getting a second dog is so it can be a companion to our dobe. He is about 40kg and loves to chase and wrestle and play, and ideally we want a second dog who likes doing this too. Even though you sometimes see greyhounds who are quite muscly and strong looking, I worry that the dobe would accidentally hurt her with his paws. It's just he plays best and seems the most interested in other dogs similar to him, GSD and Belgian shepherds, rotties etc. Plus I've heard greyhounds can be real couch potatoes and always seem quite shy, though very sweet. Just yesterday we took our dobe for a 15km bike ride where he ran along side at about 20km/hr and then to a housewarming party where he turned out to be the life of the party. He seems to love our bushwalking and bike rides, and also enjoys being the center of attention in a large house party with lots of noise and people. Champagne corks exploding, strangers trying to hug him, little toddlers pulling on him - he just takes it all in his stride and is ever optimistic and opportunistic. I love the whole sighthound family and would love one, but I just don't think it would fit in with our lifestyle and that wouldn't be fair Your Doby sounds exactly like the sort of dog that Coconut would love to play with. She is a stocky girl over 30 kg and full of muscle. She loves chase-wrestle games, not the crash-tackle games like the heavier breeds (mastiffs, boxers, staffies, labs) tend to play. The right greyhound could cope with the things you describe, champagne corks, toddlers and all. Except it does not have that stamina. You would have to get a little bike trailer for the greyhound to curl up in.

The worst dog that I have ever smelt (that was not ill or injured) was a malamute than had a moudly coat. Bacteria causes odour, so of course some breeds and individuals are going to be smellier than others. Ask different breed owners how often they wash their dogs for one clue. It seems to be that poodles do get washed much more often than some other breeds have to be washed. From my observations, it is the 'waterproof' breeds that have an oily coat that produce the most sebum, that oxidises with a very distinctive dog smell. Labs, beagles, GSD, etc tend to have this coat. The smell does build up on the dog and its environs depending on how much sebum the dog is producing. Then you have the white dogs that are so prone to secondary yeast infections settling into sensitive irritated skin. Westies, and white dogs of some other breeds. The more they smell the more they get washed, the more potential for bacteria overgrowth through improper drying of coat. Give me a lovely clean greyhound, whippy, doby, weim, vizsla, or dane to hug. Even if it hasn't been washed in 6 months. Or maybe a spitz that gets brushed heaps but not washed as often. As long as those dogs are on a good diet, their coats stay fairly fresh.

I have seen cross breeds and greyhounds with a ridge or part ridge. I think a ridge (change of hair direction along the spine ) is a genetic or congenital abnormality. A ridge is the mild abnormality (even desirable sometimes) at one end of the scale, a dermoid sinus is the serious abnormality when the genetic expression goes too far. I wouldn't rule out the idea that the dog has an abnormality. But it sounds like it isn't a problem at all, and not really worth worrying about unless you plan to breed or show. While you could ask a vet about it, I would be much more inclined to talk to experienced long-haired weim owners about it, even if you have to send photos for people further afield to examine.

m-j, Dr Linda Beer from Greyhound Racing Victoria may be able to help you out. She specialises in providing evidence that supports or don't support many of the commonly accepted greyhound raising methods.

Always read the label to find out what is in the can. You wouldn't expect a can of tuna to contain beans, and so you would not expect a can of NG to contain Chum. Different products. Can is just the packaging, and is really no indication of what may be inside. Keep that in mind before you open a can for your own dinner tonight.

You call yourself strictly 'no kill' but you accuse the 'prokill brigade' as being undiscriminatating? Forget the good ole days, by you applying inaccurate and nasty labels to people posting here instead of talking about the topic at hand, we can have a pointless argument right here, right now. Why can't you just post your opinion? Who is the 'pro kill brigade' exactly, and on what basis do you say that they do not discriminate? If people feel strongly enough, and have a good argument or point to make, they are free to post here. Don't pretend you are talking about a silent majority, you seem to be on your own with your opinion and your labelling of of other people 'pro-kill.' So who is pro-kill? Somebody specific, or just a label you apply to anyone that doesn't agree with you?

How do you demoralise something that has no morals? Your friend is anthropomorphising dogs. Unless he is interested in learning a little bit about how different training methods work, I would avoid the subject with him in future.

The photos and footage I saw of the dog could have easily been taken from the street with a zoom lens, there really was nothing to suggest that journalists or photographers went anywhere near the dog or even on to the property. You would expect the dog to be agitated by the sight and sound of ambulances and others turning up. I don't know why the owners didn't try to calm the dog, but I think it might be more revealing if the people and the circumstances around the incident were investigated rather than the dog.

Sadly, not all breeders have as well-rounded talents as you do Miranda. As long as breeders breed really good dogs and aim for excellence in that, they should be given whatever encouragement and support is necessary to assist with that hobby. In the same way that clubs put effort into exhibition of dogs and measuring excellence, they could also provide more assistance with attracting and qualifying the right buyers for the breed. Ultimately, because these are dogs and not retail products, the seller should remain in control of the process and make the decisions based on their own criteria. With Perthgirls' email, she did not get a good rate of response for whatever reason. But what if she was potentially the best future breeder ever of dogs, and just lacked a few communication skills? What if her customer service expectations were inadvertently too high because she has never bought an animal from somebody not motivated by profit before? She thought her email was great. Friendly and enthusiastic, to the point and asking questions (that were not stupid), she had no idea of why she got little response. Hence her frustration. I just feel that we need more good purebreed owners and breeders, and at the moment this thread is highlighting a major challenge to that. It doesn't hurt to explore options, and build on or refine ideas that others put forward here.

At the moment it's more important for us to consider the needs of the pups that will eventually get released from the pound, rather than lose energy on the originator. CC I agree. But feel it is worth mentioning that if a good breeder died or got very sick without having made plans, even their dogs might end up having to be rehomed like this. Forty dogs all at once, all needing food, water and exercise and care immediately? The RSPCA is well set up to handle that, if the transport can be arranged. And with the logistics of care out of the way, people like CC can concentrate on just getting the word out there.

The sale wouldn't have to be handed over, but the breed marketing, initial screening, and a varying level of practical support with customer service could be. The idea would have to be worked to fit in with everyone involved. If breeders are tired of dealing with time wasters, and buyers are tired of being treated like they are a waste of time, there is an opportunity for a stakeholder like a breed club to fill in the gap by providing a professional service. If breeders were to pay a subsidy for each pup sold it may be cost effective for them. If well-screened potential buyers were asked to provide a commitment in the form of a deposit in order for the sale to proceed, that deposit could also be used to fund such a program. While many people don't like the thought of a deposit, we are happy to pay them on all sorts of things if we can see why we should and it's worth it to us. There is no way somebody could order a large piece of handmade furniture without a deposit, and to me, producing a good dog is a craft that should be at least as highly valued.

The sale wouldn't have to be handed over, but the advertisement, initial screening, and a varying level of practical support with the customer service could be. The idea would have to be worked to fit in with everyone involved. If breeders are tired of dealing with time wasters, and buyers are tired of being treated like they are a waste of time, there is an opportunity for a stakeholder like a breed club to fill in the gaps a little. If breeders were to pay a subsidy for each pup sold it may be cost effective for them. If well-screened potential buyers were asked to provide a commitment in the form of a deposit in order for the sale to proceed, that deposit could also be used to fund such a program. While many people don't like the thought of a deposit, we are happy to pay them on all sorts of things if we can see why we should and it's worth it to us. There is no way you could order a large piece of handmade furniture without a deposit, and to me, producing a good dog is a craft that should be at least as highly valued.

In my experience it is the scared, the unsociable, the nervous, the injured, the tired, the intolerant, the defensive, the overexcited, the hungry, the resource-challenged and the prey-driven dogs that all might attack or fight. Some of those traits are strongly bred for in breeds, some of those traits exist in particular breeding lines without having been bred for, some are as a result of environmental factors and some are just what fairly normal dogs do in an extreme situation.

The posts from people sadden me about this event turning them off fostering. I volunteer for a rescue group in Brisbane(NOT the one named!!) who do a fantastic job and it angers me that the actions of this particular 'rescue' group have turned people who would be fantastic carers off. I find it deeply upsetting as it is so hard to find dedicated foster carers for the dogs we save and our good work gets tarnished by some selfish acts of other groups. To all of you who were considering fostering before this happened, please do not be turned off. There are simple methods to make sure that your own dogs are not put at risk. Talk to the rescue group you wish to foster for and make sure that the dog has been vaccinated before you receive it in your care, make sure that they have good procedures in place and make you feel comfortable. Fostering is the best experience….given you do it with the right group  Yes I agree that the fallout each time something like this happens is so sad. Foster carers are the very best resource any rescue group can have .Even without the added risk factors of what has been demonstrated in this thread caused by in adequate operating policies its a major issue for people to consider taking another dog in their homes which will imapct on the life and dynamics of the household. These people should be treated like gold - trained and nurtured and supported and nothing put as a priority over them and their own dog's welfare. It seems that foster carers are seen as the lowest level of the chain and treated with appalling lack of understanding - just taken for granted to some rescue groups and its time this was rectified. Absolutely!!!! Foster carers ARE gold...this group clearly didn't register the fact that without carers they simply would NOT exist! There are SO many good groups out there doing the right thing and do treat their foster carers well and I am PROUD to say I am a member of one of those groups! Yes, Foster carers are gold. They really are. I too am saddened by the thought that one group's unprofessionalism would put people off fostering. The whole reason why this particular group is being slammed here is because they are not following industry 'best practice', which is the standard for most well-organised groups. There are better ways and better groups that take what they are doing extremely seriously. You won't hear much about those ethical groups, they are quietly working away, following welfare procedures and guidelines, supporting and retaining their volunteers, and keeping other dogs and other people in the community safe. There are so many different things that a good rescue group has to be. They have to know about dog welfare, they have to know about dog behaviour, they have to know how to safely handle large numbers of dogs. They have to know how to find homes, they have to know how to screen homes, and they have to know how to recruit and deal with volunteers. The better organisations follow procedures laid out by experts in the field and refine and adapt those procedures to minimise risk in their own organisation, and to be more effective at what they are doing. It is sad to see people put off fostering when there are groups working towards making fostering a worthwhile and low risk experience. But because of a lack of government regulation, we do have to watch out for people and organisations that want to help dogs but are not prepared to follow best practice, or expert advice. There are so many things that can go wrong, and when you are dealing with these beautiful dogs it can be heartbreaking.

Towards an Animal-Friendly Family Law: Recognising the Welfare of Family Law's Forgotten Family Members Tony Bogdanoski University of Sydney - Faculty of Law Griffith Law Review, Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 197-237, 2010 Number of Pages in PDF File: 41 Keywords: companion animals, family law, divorce, property, animal law Accepted Paper Series

Non-profit business? Non-profit businesses are not just charities, many are self-interest groups, and would be an excellent model for breeders that want to run very professionally, but not make a profit. Or a loss. Following a business or a charity or any other model doesn't have to make somebody a clone, but there are tried and tested ways of operating businesses that do work well. Taking deposits on goods made-to-order isn't unusual. Selling products without the proper paperwork isn't a sound practice. One key point that I have got from this thread is about expectations not being met by either side, many times. Dog breeders should be encouraged to think about running their business as a non-profit business if they want to raise their level of professionalism, and seriously work on their breeding goals. Without any 'guilt trips' about making money out of dogs. For hobbyists, it would be great if breed clubs could organise a program to promote their breed and find the right new owners who potentially will breed the next generation of dogs. Not all people that breed dogs are suited to be or want to be dog salespeople. I think somebody has already mentioned this idea, and I agree that it could work very well if set up correctly.

Hello Dogdaze. Welcome to DOL. You might like to have a read in the Rescue Forum. There is lots of good info about quarantine there for you to read up on.

I just noticed in your poll that you include ''pedigree'' with ''training'' and ''circumstances.'' I don't. Pedigree is breeding, breeding is breed. Pedigree is a record of breeding. Training and circumstances are environmental factors Pedigree is a genetic factor. They do not belong together, maybe that is skewing the poll results?

We used to get many comments like that here in General a few years ago. When Team Pitbull was more active here. Many people were pushing the idea that there are no bad dogs only bad owners, and that training and socialisation (or lack thereof) are the only things moulding a dog's temperament. But breeds have been selectively developed to have breed specific traits and I believe that at least 60 % of a dog's temperament is genetic. That doesn't mean that every dog within a breed will have the trait, but it does mean that traits are contained in certain lines, and if you use those lines to breed your dogs, you will end up with the genes that carry those traits. Good to see that this poll shows that most people understand the concept, because a few years ago I'm sure that poll would have different results.