Dame Aussie

Just saw this. Brilliant news!

I do agree about thinking hard on it. My life has been restricted in a lot of ways due to my dogs, travelling is harder, it determines where you can live to an extent and it means you aren't free to just do what you like as there is a dog you are responsible for that needs to be fed and walked and loved. I wouldn't change anything but I was older than you when we got them so just make sure you're ready for the commitment

Same here. I think if you choose the breed wisely, get up early and exercise the dog before leaving for the day and ensure it has things to do whilst home alone, it can be successful.

I'd be a wreck too. Is there a reason they're abandoning the AB's? Do they think it will just keep recurring

I don't know how I missed this, I've just read through, how stressful for you How are you feeling about the spey?

I can only speak for my girl but her behaviour when in season is pretty much the same as usual. She is sometimes a bit more frisky and playful with my other dog but that's the only difference I've noticed.

Not to mention they only accept certain training schools. Completely arbitrary. It's rubbish. I get literally nothing for my registration.

I don't judge people for choosing to desex at all. It's an individual decision on what's best for the person and their dog/s. I do feel that vets can be quite one sided in risk/benefit discussions but I understand why and in many cases it's probably for the best. I do wish there were more accessible options than major surgery.

No lifetime rego in Vic. $114 every year just because she isn't desexed. It's ridiculous

That is poor management on your part. If an owner is educated and responsible there will be no issues in managing entire dogs. Desexing is purely for the benefit of people who cannot adequately manage bitches in season. I am not sure how a phantom pregnancy could be distressing for you?? Spot on. My female dog isn't desexed, my male is as he was a rescue. This does not make me unethical or irresponsible. My dogs have never been to the pound, my female has never been pregnant and having worked at pounds know all too well about dogs being euthanized. There are far more factors involved in irresponsible breeding and ownership than just keeping an entire dog. I think there should be discounts on registration if my dog has never cost the council anything, but no, I pay more than the idiot down the road whos' dog visits the pound regularly....but it's desexed so hey, he must be responsible..

Yep, a few times, and not once has it worked. I know other people have had success but it makes me wonder how quickly those dogs were approaching. It wouldn't stop a dog who didn't have friendly intentions. I'm considering starting to carry a can of citronella spray with me but that won't stop anything more than a friendly dog or very low level aggression either. Yeah in our case it wouldn't have worked. This dog just flat out charged and went straight for the throat. I doubt if the dog is determined this would work.

Yeah agree, when the dog attacked Mosley my husband had to let go of Lili's lead in order to deal with the attacking dog. He was right next to a road but she just ran about 50 metres up the footpath and stopped and waited till it was all over. My good girl x

When one of our dogs was attacked a few hard boots to the body and head of the offending dog got it off :/ That was my husband who is fairly strong though, I think a break stick would be the best bet if kicking it wasn't possible. ETA: Said dog had previously put a little girl in hospital but still went back to the owners. This is part of the issue.

Mosley is bathed if he stinks. Usually a few times a year. Lili honestly never smells so would be bathed maybe once or twice a year! Their nails stay short as they're walked on concrete and I brush them regularly.

Erm what? Surely there is a case for seizure and euthanasia here??

My two dogs are only about 3 months different in age and have been left together ever since they were 4 and 7 months with no issues. I wouldn't rush but as long as they get along well generally I wouldn't be against it if they were mine.

Not on vline if they're of a certain size I would love to see dogs allowed wherever. I see feral people at the shops all the time. I'd much prefer dogs. Fact is unless you live like a hermit you will have to put up with people, their kids and their animals in life.

Yeah, I can't think of an acceptable explanation

Same here. I've worked under some pretty awful conditions and with horrendous amounts of animals for barely minimum wage but there's no justification for this. I also have NEVER seen an animal put in a freezer without being bagged up.

Yeah look I have worked with overzealous rescuers and volunteers and they can get things wrong and out of context sometimes, BUT I would never support confidentiality agreements. If they've got it wrong then that will come out in the investigation. We should never try and stop people from coming forward when things aren't being done properly and the majority of volunteers are just normal people who care about animals.

That's the thing though. I dont doubt there are breeders trying to fix the issues but even if they are breeding what they consider to be healthier dogs, are these healthier dogs really all that healthy and comfortable in the scheme of things? The issues we're talking about come with the territory and just because some dogs aren't as bad as others doesn't necessarily mean that they are healthy animals.

I don't think theres any requirement for pound staff, other than inhouse type training, I think there should be. Not sure about rangers though some I worked with couldn't tell a Chihuahua from a Border Collie...seriously.

Yep my feelings on it have nothing to do with feeling or wanting to be seen to be superior either . Its about nothing else but what is best for dogs and if someone can show me how what has occurred to date is what is best for dogs or that they actually have a plan to fix it and pretty quickly Im all ears. Exactly

Well said. There is a massive cruelty in the way many of these dogs are currently bred, and it is pedigree dogs that are the problem just as much as backyard dogs. Yeah sad to say I agree. After nursing and then working in shelters, just as many of the dogs coming in with these issues are pedigree dogs. I know of one that was a pedigree just randomly dying on a warm day.

What Maddy said. Especially the licking windows part which made me LOL. Sometimes it's better to ignore what you can't do anything about.