mita

Onya for doing that. The less common breeds are so at risk for being ID'ed wrongly. Good to know, this girl got twigged early.... shows people are getting a good eye for Tibbies!! But it can make it trickier when a tibbie's been fully clipped. Our p/b tibbie girl has been clipped this summer & she looks so different. Here's a fully clipped tibbie to show just how different!

I think the menu will only search on breeds that are currently entered into it. They had this girl listed as a Jap Chin x. That makes sense, Aloysha, why a limited number of breeds showed on that menu. Goodness... Jap Chin X. Often it's Peke X or Cav X. Seems, tho', that someone twigged she might be a Tibbie. Thanks to all who might've helped her in some way.

Thank you so much for this info. I don't know if it's the same little doggie, but the Tibetan Spaniel Association of NSW said someone had told them about a tibbie in a Sydney pound. I'll let them know this good news...

She looks like she's fairly recently been clipped... an all-over clip. Someone in her background must care... or have cared. BTW The search by breed menu for Blacktown Pound doesn't include Tibetan Spaniel, nor Pekingese nor Cavalier. http://services.blacktown.nsw.gov.au/petsonline/AnimalsForSale.aspx

Our late sheltie, Shelley, was an expert at manipulation. She decided she didn't want to walk up the 5 steps onto the back deck. So she'd sit at the bottom.... & keep giving one sharp bark. It really did sound like, 'Steps!'. I lifted her up a few times (she was bigger than standard) & then figured I was being manipulated. So I tried ignoring her. She just did it again...'Steps!' When she did... a neighbour would call out, 'Shelley wants to go up the steps!!!' One time I was lifting her up the steps & I slipped half way. Nearly broke my knee but I managed to keep hold of her. I was still trying to figure how get myself up, when Shelley realised she wasn't going anywhere. So she turned around & barked, 'Steps!' Sure enough, a neighbour called out, 'Shelley wants to go up the steps!!!'

Yes. The breeding of pedigree dogs has the twin requirements of the technical and the welfare. And, like with any group, there'll be a range of how the people involved step up to the requirements... so you finish with a bell-shaped curve of extent to which individuals perform. And you're right that the push towards ongoing improvements has resulted in collaborations that face & learn from issues. One good example is the efforts of the Norwegian Kennel Association & the University of Oslo: http://www.actavetscand.com/content/50/S1/S6 Advances actually widen the gap across the bell-shaped curve. The poorest performers stand out like sore thumbs....as compared with the highest performers.... with most people distributed between.

The 'dog world' is not collectively burying their 'head' in the sand. That's a generalization. Just the same as it's a generalization that all pedigree dogs are collectively dodgy.

Yes.

In the UK, bulldogs are one of the breeds whose history & current state are the subjects of research and displays at the University of Manchester Museum. An aim of the program is to contribute useful & reliable information to current debates about pedigree dogs & their health. The University has collaborated with numbers of sources....& that includes the Kennel Club and breeder members. One segment is Meet the Breed, when breeders bring in their p/b dogs, show them to museum visitors & discuss current challenges in breeding. There's also static displays of examples of the breeds over time up to 1950. http://www.umg.org.uk/2012/12/10/manchester-museum-breed-the-british-and-their-dogs/ On the case study link, there's more detailed information about the project. http://www.umg.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Manchester-Museum-Breed-case-study1.pdf Great to see something being done, publicly, about pedigree dogs that is informative, balanced and drawing on a number of sources. BTW Pekingese are among the breeds. Review here: http://www.culture24.org.uk/science%20%26%20nature/animals/art405760

My opinion, too. I'd get the dogs out.

Well done, police & dog. When will the crims learn that you don't attack a police dog? I loved the police dog recently that a bloke bit as they were loading him into the paddy wagon. The idiocy, biting a police dog (I think his name was Dexter). Of course, the dog bit him back. But, as a police officer remarked, 'Being a dog, Dexter did a better job.' Bloke treated at hospital. And the police added a charge of animal cruelty to whatever offence he'd been arrested on.

And thanks, DBS, from me, too. Very interesting information you've posted. I'm bookmarking it, too. I know so many careful pet owners who've lost their dog or cat to a tick. Heartbreaking. Yes, ticks can affect people, too. Years back we were on a picnic & I was lying on the grass. A local resident passing by said that my long hair was inviting a tick. We thought he was joking. Back home, I washed my hair & felt a lump at the front of my head. It was a tick, very well embedded. A doctor had to get it out. Hadn't yet caused any symptoms but someone else told me she'd had a tick for longer & got ill and wobbly.

It's possible to combine 'rescue' and getting a purebred from a good registered breeder. Good registered breeders will take back one of their dogs when something tragic or unforseen happens to the owner/s. Even tho' that may not be strictly a 'rescue', it's preventing the dog from being surrendered to a rescue, or dumped in a pound, or in worse case scenario PTS. Two of my p/b Tibetan Spaniel pets were adopted by me after their home had 'disappeared' due to tragic ill health of an owner. They were/are beautiful & extremely well-socialised little dogs. The registered breeder who took them in, was spot on her descriptions of the dogs & matching them to our home. She knew the dogs so well... So I got the best of all worlds by going this route with a registered breeder...being able to provide a good home for needy dogs, but having access to the expertise & knowledge of a good breeder.

Fair point, juice. I agree.

Pet Rescue is collecting rescue stories, once again, to publish a second book of Amazing Rescue Stories. Ellie's story would be a perfect example of so many things. Think about it. http://www.petrescue.com.au/library/articles/send-us-your-awesome-animal-stories

I love his fat, WET, feet. Just the kind a water baby should have. He's gorgeous.

Sure is a very important issue! I know that from how easily my own breed, tibetan spaniels, are mislabeled. I notice that the researchers are targeting US and UK. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY A primary goal of the research is to examine how those who work in shelters, rescues, and pounds identify dog breeds, crosses (mixes), and types that are commonly encountered as stray or owner-relinquished animals in the US and UK. In addition, this study examines what characteristics individuals use to identify breed type.

Just like any kind of organisation, the quality & endurance, depends on the people who are willing and able to step up to do all the volunteer work & effort required to run a breed club well. As a pet owner, over many years, I've been fortunate in the handful of breed clubs I've had direct experience with. Sheltie Club of Q'ld. Extraordinary people from the first time I met them. From what I've heard, still are. Poodle Club of Q'ld. More extraordinary people. What they did to provide all the support for RSPCA -seized 100 +poodles in dreadful state, was awesome. Tibetan Spaniel Association of Victoria, Tibetan Spaniel Club of NSW & Tibetan Spaniel Club of America. Just as long-running as the other two & exceptional in what they offer to their breed & to anyone who owns one of them. I've always known how helpful the Australian clubs are, but was amazed to get informative emails from US breeders, too, when one of my little dogs had a persisting tummy upset.

My gosh, doesn't she look beautiful, happy and healthy. I remember Ellie & specially how her foster-carers fell in love. Just shows what a bunch of good people can achieve when a dog needs big help. Onya, dogmad, and the others who pitched in.

I heard Koko's breeder talking on Radio National. She said she'd loved him & knew he was special, right from the time he was a baby puppy. When the producer, Nelson, was introduced to her at a show (he was looking for a dog to play Red Dog), she told him she had a very special lad. Nelson was impressed with him, too.... but the breeder said he could take him on condition he was returned to her & her husband at the end of filming. However, she said the pair bonded so strongly during the filming that she couldn't bear to part them. When Koko died, she said Nelson phoned her, distraught with grief. He'd truly lost his best mate. So sad a loss.

An example. About 18 months ago, an elderly lady in Brisbane had to go into a nursing home at short notice. She owned a purebred Maltese boy. Her daughter was unable to take him in, so I put her on to an experienced small dog rescue. That rescuer, after fostering him, said he was the best small dog she'd ever had... sensible, biddable, confident & gentle with people, and affectionate. Before, she'd always said the best small dog she'd had was a Tibbie!!! So i'm 'fessing up that the Malt boy knocked a Tibbie off top spot! Moi.... a Tibbie Tragic. :) At same time, a nurse was looking for a small companion dog that would be suitable to take with her to the nursing home where she worked three days a week. Nursing home management checked the Malt boy out... and he passed with full approval. He now has a wonderful life, with his new 'mum' and being the perfect 'visitor' for the elderly people. Registered Maltese breeder (whoever you were)... take a bow & keep up the good work!!! BTW Wish I'd kept his photo. He was also the most gorgeous looking creature.

Maybe not precisely what you're looking for but Lort Smith Animal Hospital has various community programs. One is fostering of dogs by prisoners. There's an off-chance they may have information about anyone helping in the general area. Contact details on their website: http://www.lortsmith.com/community-outreach.html

Yes. Step 1 in looking at any issue, is to do a literature search of published research. And there's heaps of highly informative studies that point towards the kinds of situations where serious dog bites/attacks tend to occur, factors in the history of the dog... and even characteristics or aspects about the owners of dogs that offend.

The UK has a Sale of Dogs law (1999) which requires that dogs have an Identification Tag which gives their date of birth & the number allocated to the breeding establishment where they were born. I think puppies/dogs can only be sold if they have such a tag. Maybe they've updated it to be a microchip? But I think that Regulation refers to 'licensed breeders' who've been allocated that establishment number. I'm only guessing but maybe there's still a gap in the UK where backyard breeders with just few or couple of dogs, don't fall into the category which requires a licence. But, frankly just 2 or 4 dogs can be kept in as horrendous a situation as 20 dogs. I wonder if the RSPCA in Australia has looked at the UK system to see if there's been any benefits & if there's anything worth taking...and anything worth improving?

Excellent plan! Best wishes to you all and thanks for the hard work. And an 'Excellent plan' from me, too. And thanks to all at WAR who've achieved so much. I've always taken special notice of any posts from 'efowler'. Emma, you're someone I soon learned to respect hugely on DOL Rescue Forum. It's great to know you'll continue to contribute to animal welfare.