Alyosha

Well done to all - especially Wilbur at the Sighthound show. And Shantiah, what a lovely win in competition for young Paige!!

You'll just have to spend extended periods standing on one leg and waving just in case there's other DOL people about. You wouldn't want them to feel lonely... ;) The bozo gang are all clean - took me all afternoon to do three of them, dirt monsters! Now to keep them that way until Sunday... Will get some pics and put them up next week. Thanks for giving Genie a hug, cheer him on as well!

Hmmm. Me either. I'm wondering what I can make out of superfine paracord that might be hardly visible... She has a white face so at least colour matching is easy!

I have been wondering about this one for a while. Is it ever done that a dog wears a face harness in a show ring? I have one that has a dreadful response to any sort of neck collar, check chain, sliplead, half martingale, full martingale, flat collar - ANYTHING. But one tiny strand around her face, behind her ears and under her chin and her whole demeanor changes - from trudging and trying to pull to lightness and life. Is it ever done? Can it be done? I realise that it impacts the appearance of their head/face. But is that a fair trade off with a dramatic difference in attitude and all over appearance? ;) Let me also explain that I never previously agreed with halters on dogs at all - until I got this one girl... I'd love to see this one show in the ring what she does off lead and in a face halter - she's a different hound! We've tried lots of re-training with lots of experienced people, with no results. She's a stubborn bugger! I'd now rather leave her at home that see her trudge around as soon as a show lead goes on. I thought maybe she just wasn't ever going to enjoy showing, fair enough. But if I put her in a halter and go in the ring (outside of class obviously!) she is herself again. So I think it's the lead and not her attitude to showing as such. Ideas?

Sorry SSM and Keshwar - looks like we'll miss you guys all weekend! We're not Saluki and Sighthounding this year. Make sure you say hello to Wilbur for us and give our Genie a hug - he'll be there, trying to out-do his family yet again. We're heading to the borzoi specialty in Newcastle on Sunday and that is more than enough driving for us! The kids didn't want to be away from home all Easter (don't want to miss the Bunny!!) so we had to pick one day only for showing. ;)

I think the gist of the update was that the couple have actually surrendered the dogs so all of them are now the property of the RSPCA. Once they have been legally surrendered they can be desexed and adopted etc.

Maybe get him to take to her a good vet and get them to tell him what will be best. He might pay more attention if it comes from a vet than from you. Poor little girl - I hope she's ok.

Nice pics Centitout. Mine too have it in amongst their raw and seem to do very well. Did you feed the bitches Coprice during pregnancy? If so, what sort - working, family, puppy etc? ETA - that looks like a familiar, drizzly show... Crookwell??

I have had lovely results with it. I haven't fed it to pregnant bitches though... It could be worth looking at the puppy or working dog variety of the same brand, and supplementing from there.

My brother has a stafford x JRT, from a dodgy relative's backyard breeding project . She's lovely natured, and looks like a small red Stafford. But her legs are half length. Each time she lies down with them stretched in front of her they're shorter than her head and neck, she rests her chin out past her toes! It always just looks really strange... But $700?? People are mad.

And if someone was forcing their human children to live in similar conditions the situation would be just as socially unacceptable. There is such limited information provided here about this matter but some people can still jump to immediate conclusions. To have a considered opinion you need to actually consider facts, and all of them. They are not all presented here by a long stretch. For someone to keep animals for their own reasons when that keeping amounts to cruelty is selfish and wrong, no matter what the emotional attachment to them is. If someone wants animals so badly that they are prepared to compromise those animals' health to the point of them dying there is a major issue at stake, and it's not with the prosecuting authority or with the courts, it's with the owner.

Diva and Arwen were officially ON FIRE!!! :p :rolleyes: ;) :p Go the Borzoi!! ;) :p ;) ;) :p Well done to everyone.

Dogs that fit the criteria to be transferred to DAS are not admitted to the RSPCA shelter. They are transferred upon arrival. I see three dogs pts at DAS this week. One that should have been - beyond question (the old blind deaf senile one). Much as he should have been cared for to his end by his owners, I cannot accept that rehoming him would not have been in his best interests at all. One that would have been a potentially dangerous dog if rehomed and very likely would not have been rehomed no matter where she was held. The last one is the only one I would question, and more information would be needed to make a decision on that anyway. I think the main point needs to be that attention needs to be given for any shelter that is aiming in the right direction. Even if they reduce their euthanasia by one dog a year, that is a positive and a start to a better way of doing things. If things go on quietly as they have for so long, people continue to presume that they are the same. Public attention garnering increases awareness, donations and funding. This money contributes to continuing the efforts. That means more animals saved, not less. If an organisation has a moral standpoint to save animals then they should be supported, as things are heading the way they should. I find some people's (and by that I don't mean you DG ) doomsday attitude of damned if you do and damned if you don't fairly frustrating. I can't comprehend the agenda of people that are determined to oppose no kill efforts. Nothing is perfect overnight. It took a long time for RSPCA-type groups worldwide to go from independent animal welfare charities to funded animal control agencies. Trying to reverse that trend takes time. Without applauding efforts publicly how do you drive public and internal culture change?

Are they really relevant when the dogs being transferred to DAS have the same opportunities for rehoming? Of the dogs that are pts at DAS how many are classed as rehomable? I do have some knowledge on the topic but not of that. Are the figures you have gone through DG compiled of ALL dogs pts at DAS? Including sick and unhomable (for temp reasons) dogs? Or is it just pts figures of healthy rehomeable dogs? As far as I know DAS also take responsibility for aggressive problem dogs - as a government control and enforcement matter. I would imagine that those sort of dogs are often pts. Are they part of the figures?

You guys seem to have overlooked the equally high rehoming rate from DAS...?? It's easy to presume that dogs are just transferred eleswhere to be killed and this put on a back shelf while a rosy public picture is painted. But with DAS's rehoming rate that opinion simply can't be justified. Such a presumption also belittles the amazing work that DAS and ACT rescue groups do to rehome the dogs from there. Sometimes the tall poppy syndrome runs rife...

I'm sorry but I don't understand what point you're trying to make here?

DAS does indeed have a homing rate right up there with the RSPCA - over 90%. So the complaint about RSPCA fobbing dogs off there is a moot point. Dogs have just as much chance of being adopted from DAS as they do from RSPCA. Dogs are transferred to DAS for a variety of reasons. They are sometimes transferred back the other way, and RSPCA ACT also transfers in animals from other pounds as well. DAS have authority to enforce animal control measures like dealing with the owners of of repeat offending strays etc which RSPCA does not. So these sort of dogs are sent to DAS for their follow up. If you browse the rescue threads on here for DAS you'll see very few dogs who need rescue assistance. This allows rescue groups to also provide time and assistance to many dogs from pounds outside the ACT. From what I've heard surrender wait list are monitored and advice and training is offered in the hope that people change their minds and work to keep their pets. The shelter at RSPCA does have drop off kennels. So anyone absolutely unable to keep dog for whatever reason can leave them there like other pounds and shelters. As for funding, RSPCA are an animal welfare organisation and are focussed on that. DAS are the Government funded animal control agency so their work encompasses that role. Welfare and Control are two separate issues. As far as I see it, the Government has an obligation to provide animal control. The RSPCA should not. In fact many here are keen to see less enforcement and control from RSPCA, and more hands on caring... am I right? The original model for this system was founded in San Fransisco years ago. DG if you want a good read I'd suggest Nathan Winograd's book "Redemption".

Agree. Nature hates a vacuum, it is usually not legal to remove possums from an area without a licence (relocated possums often die due to their territorial natures) but even if you do, another will move straight in. Does the noise in your roof sound like scratching and scurrying? Or like a herd of elephants? If it is the former it is likely rats or mice. But beware of baiting as it can also be sugar gliders which will also die from mouse & rat bait. If it is loud it most certainly is possums. One thing you can try is getting into the roof and speading napthalene flakes - as long as you don't mind the mothball smell! Sometimes this will deter possums. Or Quassia chip which you can get from Bunnings. Quassia you can also soak into a tea sort of liquid and spray around the spots outside where they are hanging about or getting in.

Does anyone know where I contact to correct a cataloguing error that has the ownership of my boy mixed up with his brother? Small detail I suppose, but I ws so proud of him today - Aust Bred in breed and Res Challenge in very good company. I have checked their website but can't find a contact email or similar??

Late in this thread I know sorry. ;) But chasing is attacking, by law in NSW: COMPANION ANIMALS ACT 1998 - SECT 16 Offences where dog attacks person or animal 16 Offences where dog attacks person or animal (1) If a dog rushes at, attacks, bites, harasses or chases any person or animal (other than vermin), whether or not any injury is caused to the person or animal: (a) the owner of the dog, or (b) if the owner is not present at the time of the offence and another person who is of or above the age of 16 years is in charge of the dog at that time-that other person, is guilty of an offence. Maximum penalty: (a) 50 penalty units except in the case of a dangerous or restricted dog, or (b) 300 penalty units in the case of a dangerous or restricted dog. As for enforcement. Normally there is a level of remorse from the owners of dogs who get up to thi sort of stuff, and monetary matters are sorted out as a "gentlemans" agreement between parties. For people that don't want to comply of course there is criminal and/or action able to be taken and compensation sought through the Courts. But that obviously doesn't bring back people's beloved pets or livestock.

Counting down now... ;) Yay!

Far too many are victims of dogs, and not the other way around. They are pretty slow moving and not too agile, and their bite is like a pair of pliers. Sure they clamp down and hurt, but if they're biting at fur they won't get any satisfaction and the dog of cat will stay unhurt.

Vitamin B6. Or a B Complex that contains B6. :rolleyes: If planning a long trip you can build up levels over a couple of days before travelling. B vitamins are water based so any excess will be excreted through urine safely.

Thanks guys, I'll try the vit E cream, she's just licked a bunch of paw paw ointment off. :rolleyes: Dessert. I know some dogs are more prone to lying on concrete etc but this one hasn't been kept as I would have hoped. She is very, very content on thick blankets at the moment... I've never known one of this breed to seek out hard surfaces, quite the opposite - avoid them like the plague!