Red Fox

If the mother doesn't want the dog it should be returned - regardless of breed. Who will pay for the basic living costs associated with the dog? Vet care and food are not cheap for large breeds. Can they afford it? Or will the dog end up being resented because they "don't have time for it" "cant walk/train/handle/afford it" or "never wanted it anyway". Has the father considered this? Dogs are for adults willing to put in the work, not children as far as I'm concerned.

I agree. Personally (unless you see signs of worms or fleas) I'd wait at least a month before re-dosing with either. Milbemax will not prevent intestinal worms, only treat them if they already exist. However if you are using it for monthly heartworm prevention you'll need to consult with your vet. Fleas you can treat if they appear. Plenty of options there including spot ons, capstar, etc. And really, unless you have an infestation they are fairly easy to deal with.

Have you condsidered a Ridgeback? Probably not quite as energetic as a Dobe though if fit they will easily keep up, low shedding, still have the dominant personality, perhaps a little more independent and aloof than a Dobe though. I'm pretty sure mine doesn't have a strong doggy odour either ...or maybe he does and no-one is game enough to tell me but the majority of Ridgies that I've met have little to no smell.

What kind of treats are you after? I've ordered from this place before: http://roochoos.com.au/ They are not in SA but do sell in bulk and prices/delivery cost is very reasonable If you contact them they will send you a price list.

Put simply; The papers you are referring to are ANKC. They are, in short, your dogs birth certificate and proof of parentage. They will show a 3 generation pedigree of the puppy you have purchased. The papers will be main - meaning the dog can be shown (ANKC conformation), and (provided you are a registered breeder with the ANKC) bred from. *Of course you can breed with any dog but only a registered breeder with mains registered dogs can breed registered (papered) puppies. Or they will be limited (pet dog) which means the dog cannot be shown or bred from regardless of if you are a registered breeder or not. Either can compete in dog sports. Unregistered and/or cross bred dogs can compete on the associate register. A registered breeder must provide you with a copy of the pups papers (usually limited register for pets) and will not charge "extra" for them. There are other registeries within Australia and overseas. Working registeries are equally valid, however as a pet owner ANKC is the one which you will be looking for. Hope that helps.

Awwww it's snowing But hey, better a toy than the couch

Just browsing through TopBuy and saw they have the XXXL (122cm X 79cm x 79cm) out again for $59.95 with free postage Offer ends in 14 days. ETA: forgot to add the link http://www.topbuy.com.au/tbcart/pc/Lightwe...79cm-p14756.htm

Personally I'd just let her sleep in the crate with the door open. It's a nice secure place for a dog, she can be closed in if needed (ie when you have visitors), it can be covered in winter to insulate and opened in summer, etc. Otherwise I dont think you can go past a cot mattress for a larger breed. Good size, reasonable price, thick, comfy, supportive and you can always buy linen to fit which makes it easy to keep clean.

No sympathy here, it's a stupid, STUPID way to excercise a dog and yes I would report it. For over 10 years my idiot BIL threw his Lab of the back of the ute and drove off through the bush letting the dog chase after him. He rolled his eyes at me when I refused to do this with my dog because I thought it to be extremely dangerous. Late last year the dog ran between the tires and had to be PTS.

Mine came with a free carry bag.

The K9 Pro crates are good quality and a reasonable price (looks like they're on special too - so tempting LOL). The K9+ soft crates are also fantastic. The advantage with these is that they have the mesh sides but also a solid roll down flap which can provide a little extra insulation/block out if needed. (I think the newest model may have this on the front opening as well as the sides?). Personally I've found that rolling these down stops my dog from wanting to paw at the mesh too. I've also got a cheapie from Top Buy which is great. It was only about $50 so I don't feel like I have to be too precious with it. Plus it's HUGE. It really depends on what you want. If you like the look of the K9 Pro ones give them a go.

If you liked Innova try something like Artemis, Earthborn Select or Canidae. http://www.pookinuk.com.au/pet-products.asp?categoryID=138

Agree. The "they need to have a litter to settle them down" myth does my head in. How does that work? Dogs are not human, they don't suddenly wake up one morning and think "Oh I'm a mother now, I must settle down and take responsibilty". Why would they? A poorly trained or immature dog is just that. Simple. To the OP, tell your friends to have a read of this; http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/breeding/breeder2.html and this; http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...;hl=temperature

congratulations Huski

You can expose and neutralise your pup to plenty of things without ever entering a dog park. It's just not necessary IMO.

Amen to that. Yep. My advice would be don't ....just don't. At 13 weeks your pup is right here; http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=117592 K9 Pro:

My boy was 6.5kg at 9 weeks.

Ridgebacks aren't particularly tollerant of strangers and while they are great with thier "own" kids that doesn't always extend to kids outside of their pack. They are also rough, boisterous, bouncy players and and will easily bowl young kids over. Well in my experience anyway.

Nah, I think you can already do that via a mobile phone with the right software. It's much easier to get your unsuspecting kid to carry a mobile phone than it is to wear a collar anyway ;)

For a pet dog no. An escape artist needs a secure run not a collar. There's also the risk of the collar being stolen/removed, lost caught in things, injuring or even strangling the dog. Sure it could have a lock or something on it to prevent the collar from being removed/lost/stolen. Wouldn't stop someone from cutting it off though. And God forbid the dog hung itself on a fence. I also think that if something like that becomes widely available and affordable then you will find people will be even less concerned about letting their dog wander - they know where they are right, so it's all fine. Then there are the practical issues; battery life, time to charge, safety (your pet is wearing the equivalent of an antenna/mobile phone 24/7), cost. I didn't quite understand whether you must buy a sim card for the collar itself? - So does that mean you'd need to keep it current/topped up? Would there need to be credit on the card and how much? I see some pros, but a LOT of cons...... There are already GPS type devices available for hunting dogs.

There are reactions and there are long term effects. Just because you cannot see an immediate reaction it doesn't neccessarily meant that there will be no long term effects. How do you know that the HWI is not affecting her in other ways? ie her allergies and reactions to "everything" else. I'm not saying it IS, but the fact is that it's near impossible to determine that it's not.

Some more threads on this: http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...mp;hl=heartworm http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...mp;hl=heartworm http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...mp;hl=heartworm http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...mp;hl=heartworm

It's a personal decision but I would never take the chance. Unlike a tablet once that injection is in you can't get it out, the effects last much longer. For those interested here is the product information for Pro Heart 6. This is the American product, Australia uses Pro Heart 12 with lasts for 12 months as opposed to 6. I will see if I can find the Aussie one too (has been posted here before). http://www.drugs.com/vet/proheart-6.html *ETA. I tried to copy and paste a little but it came out all funny. Best click on the link for info. The warning section specifically states that Pro Heart should NOT be administered within 1 months of vaccinations.

Conception/pregnancy/birth in dreams rarely means babies. Usually the meaning centres more around the birth of new ideas, new beginings, etc.

Our leashes get a lot of abuse and I've never had one abruptly fail on me. So there is a point as far as I'm concerned: a cheap leash does the job, and I don't have to worry about whether it's got wet and then dragged through sand, got the clip clogged up, or the handle dunked in seawater. They hold together remarkably well IME. For the harnesses and collars it's more about the dogs' comfort and safety. I have the bowls pip has. They don't skid and don't chip. I like 'em. Perhaps a cheap leash "does the job" but I'd NEVER rely on one. For me good quality leashes and collars are a necessity not a luxury. It's not about how they look but how they perform and having the confidence that these tools will hold up no matter what.