Alyosha

Love this story and the approach Athens City has taken to it's stray dog management, thinking outside the square: http://au.news.yahoo.com/odd/a/-/odd/10416481/tear-gas-woof-its-sausage-the-athens-riot-dog/ ATHENS (Reuters) - There he is, yelping with delight as the youths start hurling chunks of paving stones, barking his admonition at a cordon of cops fending off petrol bombs, sneezing as he scampers through the tear gas. Meet Sausage the riot dog, an amiable ginger mongrel resident of Syntagma Square in central Athens, who doesn't mind if you show up for a day of mayhem as long as he can join in. Whenever there's a demonstration, Sausage is there, always taking the side of the protesters and cheerfully lending a sense of comic relief to the occasionally violent proceedings. It's made him a local celebrity. He's appeared on the front of just about every newspaper in Greece and wagged his tail on TV screens and websites around the world. On Wednesday when state workers marched against government cuts, Sausage was in his usual spot at the front, egging on the crowd with a hearty "Gav!" (Greek for "Woof!"), tripping up baton-wielding officers as they charged down the steps. For the record: some people call him Kanellos -- Cinnamon. The Athens municipality, which has known him since 2006 as Dog Number 1842, prefers Loukanikos -- Sausage. "Loukanikos or Kanellos. These are two of his many names. It's the same individual," said Anna Makri, head of the city's Stray Animal Service. "There's no other Sausage." As head of the department, Makri was sued once because Sausage bit someone. The case is pending. "He's a loveable dog, but he's a little bit hot-blooded," she says. Stray dogs in Athens don't look like stray dogs in other big cities. Many, Sausage included, wear collars and tags. Instead of rounding them up and destroying them, the municipal authorities of Athens pay to feed more than 2,000 of them. They are neutered, given vaccines, identified with microchips and released back onto the street, wearing a tag with a phone number to call if they are in -- or causing -- trouble. You can see them snoozing in the sunshine by a statue, or loitering with intent in groups of two or three outside a cafe. "In most European countries, they solve this problem with euthanasia. But Greek culture is against that. Our law is about rehabilitating the dogs," said Makri. "People here take care of them and love them. They are like everyone's dog." For a time there was talk that the financial crisis -- the same crisis that has prompted the demonstrations that brought Sausage his fame -- would force the city to halt the stray dog program, set up a year before the 2004 Olympics. The program was indeed interrupted by a reorganization in recent months, but it has resumed, said Deputy Mayor Angelos Antonopoulos, himself a veterinarian. As for its most famous client: "The municipality takes especial care of him because he's so lovable. And he's also a symbol -- a symbol of freedom."

Plus both elegant and graceful (when they're not being boring that is!!). :laugh:

I think the risk is cancer etc if it's left in there. Not to mention he can and will be still fertile and able to breed.

Oh Parkeyre I'm so sorry.

People seem to miss the basic point that humans have the right to own animals, and the responsibilty for providing for that animl's needs rest with humans. We place them in environments where it is impossible for them to provide for their own needs and comforts, so we must provide them. No-one here will debate that. But the term animal rights implies passing some responsibilty back at the animal. All responsibility for them belongs to humans - we need to provide for their every need - because they have no rights. We are their providers and their spokespersons because they cannot ever be that for themselves, and tehy mostly wouldn't want to!

Lovely post Greyt.

Sorry but your dog sounds like an accident waiting to happen. You should consult a good trainer / behaviourist.

They were gorgeous! I was down for work but managed to get a few hours at the show and watched the Greyhound judging. Loved the babies... :D You should be very proud.

By putting her first you've probably done more for her than anyone has before. It's a tough thing to do. Run free Nessie.

Congrats to Parkeyre, Heidii and Verhexen GSD on all your babies!! Sorry for the bubs that disn't make it. So sorry for your misses Angelsun. It must be so disappointing. zzztop I have all fingers and toes crossed that you have a smooth and successful whelping and perfect beautiful babies.

It's Commonweath Law - http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page4369.asp - has been in place for years.

You can take all diligence and care and still have something happen. Tree or branch down on a fence springs to mind as one. Strangers opening gates and not shutting them is another - not many people think to lock a gate until after something like that happens.

Sorry about your thumb Zaddy - I've been there and typing one handed etc is so frustrating. Have a browse through the greyhound thread in breed sub-forums. You'll read lots of stories of different hounds and get an idea of what sort of personality types you find in the breed. If you like other hounds as well there is a Sighthound thread where you will find stories and info on others - Irish Wolfhounds, Deerhounds, Borzoi, Salukis, Pharaohs, Afghans etc as well as Greys and Whippets. I wouldn't give up on the idea of fostering if it's something you're drawn to. I've had negative experiences as well, but if you stick with it the good outweigh the bad. And there is always something to be learned from the bad, whether about dogs or humans. ;) Likewise I wouldn't give up on Greys if you're drawn to them. They are a lovely breed with lots of variance in personality. They bring joy to many and varied owners and have the capacity to do so much more if given a chance. :D

Were those your babies at Melbourne Royal last week?

That's very ordinary. Sorry you had a bad experience.

Thank you for talking sense Greyt.

Thanks. :D They don't need to be wrapped in cotton wool like that, certainly sounds like overkill. Apart from being rugged our fosters haven't had any more special treatment than our Borzoi, whether they're inside snoozing or out tearing through a paddock looking for rabbits. They all seem to enjoy themselves. Hope you find the breed that suits you.

I've had a few in foster and some are complete couch potatoes yes. Some are complete livewires that have driven my other peaceable hounds nuts! I have had a couple that would jog/walk for kms, so I don't know who told you they can't walk for long - they were certainly keener than me!! One in particular would get home, have a hose off and be at the back door with a ball in her mouth waiting for a game of fetch. While all the while the tail banged on the wall - thump, thump thump. It never stopped. She never stopped!! Here she is, looking far from floppy and dull: My fosters have all been crate trained and taken to it perfectly as well - easier than other breeds I have fostered as a rule, especially working breeds. I wouldn't make a judgement on any breed based on meeting one of them. Every dog breed is made up of individual dogs, all with their own personalities. Generalisations about a breed's temperament and outlook are just that - generalisations and not hard and fast rules.

Another here that has had a rotten load from Just Food 4 Dogs. My first and last. Yuck. We're lucky that we have a small local butcher who has been doing mince and bones etc for ours, especially with our recent litter. Sometimes you can forge a relationship with a smaller butcher. Do you have any abbatoirs in your area that may sell offcuts direct? Sometimes good Greyhound supply places are a little goldmine as well. We're at the point of arranging our own large freezer in the shed, and going to the local sales every now and then for a sheep or two and home butchering. But we're lucky to be in the country and have experience with it.

I'm in the process of sending a pup overseas with Dogtainers and they've been great. They will know all the requirements and organise everything involved if your SIL gives them a ring. They've done a couple of domestic ones for me already and are very good. They seem to understand how precious their cargo is and how nervewracking for owners/breeders. I'm sure the others do too - I just haven't had personal experience with them.

Oh Ruth I'm so sorry about your pup.

I so glad to hear you caught it and she's come through ok. Very good news.

Our recent litter was a large one (12) from a maiden bitch and she whelped on day 60 (from mating) which was most likely day 58 from ovulation. She whelped naturally and all pups were born strong and healthy and survived.

We have an older, large, four berth one. I really like it, but it does leak a bit. A little around the whirlybirds, and in heavy rain I've had significant road-spray come up through the ventilation slots and door & wondow frames in the sides and soak the inside. The propensity to sometimes leak a little makes me very aware of the wooden floor so I keep an eye out for damp and open it on nice windy days if it's not in frequent use. If I had a garage it wouldn't matter!! The one time it really leaked was really in very significant rain though, flooded and closed the Pacific Hwy!! Plus we were driving in it for about 5 hours. So for normal use I haven't have an issue with it and despite being older it's really good, and great to tow. The dogs love it too which is always a bonus!! I have also had the wheel bearings done though. But I think I'd do that on any older trailer, as they're often neglected and it's a pretty simple/cheap thing anyway.

I think pyo is one of those things with multiple presentations unfortunately. Does she have an elevated temp? I hope you get it sorted, sounds very stressful.