Crisovar

The individual dog is the problem not the breed, as horrible as it is to watch your puppy attacked BSL does nothing to stop stupid owners, nothing, your pup could have been attacked by any breed, any breed at all. I have been bitten by a Dobe, I don't want them banned, I just ask for the other end of the leash to smarten up.

I've seen dead dogs picked up off the road or out of farmers paddocks that "never get out of our Yard", I daresay this ranger and almost every other one in the country has too hence why they keep asking. Annoying, Yes, but, he is doing his job.

The Gripsoft ones are good, I think the Vet Shed or Vet Products Direct should have them.

One of the most delightful breeds I have had the pleasure of living with, huge personality in a small body. IMO they are a great pocket sized family dog, as long as attention is paid to training, they are very very clever. I would have another in a heart beat. Ours lived happily with large dogs, cats, rabbits, kids and probably the best soccer goalie out is a Bossie.

Slicker brush and comb as above.

I would be keeping them seperated whilst you are not able to supervise, I would do this with any new or visiting dog whatever the breed.

Yep, not looking forward to the regular Easter influx of sick woofers, and PLEASE everyone keep all your chocolate out of reach and if you have to have an Egg hunt lock up your dogs, and ensure all eggs are retrieved.

I agree, and this goes for other animals as well. One that springs to mind is my ever ungrateful cat, saved him from the pound, slave my fingers to the bone day in, day out to provide him with all his little luxuries, and he only has eyes for my OH who didn't really want him in the first place

I love the Doggy Dentures one also from Pedigree Doggy Dentures

The meat birds are a special breed, you can grow them that big and fast in your backyard without the need for lights :D if you don't turn them off (kill) early enough you will have big blobby chickens who cannot walk around. eta commercial chickens are turned off from 42 days old, that gives you some idea as to how fast they grow.

What breed? Boxer How old was the dog? 8yo Was there a familial component? No What was the dog being fed? Need some detail of what exactly - if dry food, which one, if raw, what it was Eukanuba Premium, Raw meat, Raw bones How often was he fed? Once daily or more? Twice Was his bowl elevated, or on the ground? Elevated What was he doing when he bloated? (ie, at a show, at home, playing, at home alone) Kenneled for the night, no exercise prior to or after feeding it was a summer and quite warm so may have drunk more than normal that day Has he bloated more than once? No Has he had a gastrowhatsit? LOL (too lazy to look it up, but you'll know smile.gif ) Yes performed at time of surgery for this incident Did he ever bloat after that? NO Did the dog also suffer GDV YES Did it have surgery? YES What was done to relieve the bloat? Tubed then surgery

Different dogs different metabolisms, you may just need to juggle quanitites IF your male is underweight. If your dogs are in good body condition I wouldn't be worrying about recommended weights. You wouldn't want an undersized mini reaching that weight, or trying to keep a way oversized one down just to fit a weight chart. As an aside, mine hated Artemis and didn't do well on it at all.

If there is too much hair on the blades it will just turn into a soggy mess, brush the blades off and dip whilst running. Wipe off excess then oil. Nicestman on here send him a pm, does an excellent job of sharpening and repairs.

Shock Horror LOL Yep, very few mortalities from my experience back in the old days too. What a good subject for a new thread

I meant to add we have never had any fertility issues or breeding or whelping isues and have fed all types of chicken as a part of our dogs diet.

Hormones have been banned from Australian chickens for many years.

They don't care, Spotty, that's why the world is like it is today. Foster carers are in so much demand in this country, they are heros in my book.

Flea Collars in my experience do not work, Heaps of dogs come in for grooming wearing a flea collar and they all seem to be still covered in fleas. Tick collars however seem to have a place.

Should her own children be sent to foster care so the dog can stay?

My dogs are secured in my back yard, to me that means they are securely locked behind a fence, we can all read into this what we wish.

Speculation time.. and this IS pure speculation Was Rocky an outside dog allowed inside when grandson was there and otherwise relegated to the backyard? Did he not want to go outside? Had he been kept on a chain? Chained dogs are massively over represented in serious attacks on people. Had he been grabbed by the collar and harshly disciplined before.. did Mrs B try to take his collar and he reacted defensively? Did she not read the body language or dismiss a growl as the dog being "silly'.. Was he sore? Was he a young entire dominant male that wasn't going to be pushed around by someone of lesser physicality than the grandson? Had Rocky been the subject of physical abuse? Wonder what grandson's "problems" were? We'll probably never know and God knows dog owners are rarely effusive on the subject how they might have contributed to the tragedy. But what happened is the product of both genetics, environment and trigger behaviour. What I do know is that the description "family pet" covers a whole range of circumstances, some of which are not what you're average DOLer would consider meet that description. Was this a dog that was socialised, trained and exercised regularly, encouraged to be affectionate and gentle with people and had a strong social bond with Mrs B.. we probably won't learn that either. In The Age today, it said that while the dog belonged to the grandson, the dog had lived with this lady for 3 years. She lived in a flat. I'm sorry but there is no reasonable defense for the dog doing what he did (which I know you're not going PF)- her arm is almost ripped off - hardly an appropriate level of defence against a 67 year old lady. You think a dog knows and understands this??

No Vendetta, pure and simple lack of confidence in the organisation based on my own personal experiences and their track record. No, of course the animals shouldn't suffer, but fining someone then washing your hands of it saying we have done our job is not good enough. Their job should be starting way back with education and assistance, not simply with prosecution. People in dire straights with their animals should be able to call upon the RSPCA for help and assistance, but all too often when they do they are turned away or charged or have their animals removed.

It is a problem I agree, but it is not human agression, that is the point I was trying to make. Every time there is a report of a dog attack on another animal we continually hear the "it will be a kiddie next" cries. IMO that is simply not the case. I would rather my old girls lived together in perfect harmony, but they don't, but never has there been any sign of agression towards humans. If I get bitten it is the risk I take seperating them, same as you, we don't just stand back and let it go on. But it doesn't mean any injuries inflicted are caused by human agression.

Being stupid enough to get in between any animals fighting will get you injured, getting between two humans beating each other will too. I have been bitten because I stupidly pulled 2 whippet bitches apart, who seem to hate the colour of each others hair on the odd day. Does this mean they are dangerous to humans???? 12 years of living with my family tells me they are not.

I thought that the vaccine was exactly the same, you just get it 3 yearly instead of annually?? :D The AVA have issued advice that 3 yearly vaccination is the way to go, and that the regular annual vaccines will last the 3 years. There is at this stage (AFAIK) only one manufacturer who has registered a 3 year Vaccine, and yes it is different to the other annual vaccines. Many vets will not sign off on the other Vaccines as they are registered as annual vaccines, and to sign off on them is against manufacturers recomendation. In the event that they signed off on them for 3 years and an animal contracted Parvo etc they legally have gone against the registered use of the vaccine, and it could be sticky.