mita

The man next door who owns greyhounds, worked full time as a public servant. His greys each have their favourite 'day place' to snooze the time away. They used to get up around 4.30 pm to watch the driveway for him coming home from work. Then later they'd get a walk... more a leisurely stroll. Those greys are perfect doggie citizens... snoozing the day away. They seem very self-sufficient, and sometimes there's only been 1 in residence as the others have been to the training farm. No difference at all in how the lone one behaves. GAP or Friends of the Hound could advise on the temperaments of the greys they have in fostercare.

The trusting look on Charlie's face when the bloke was coming to save him...I loved them calling 'Hang on, buddy!' And they really fought to warm him... calling him 'baby'! :) There are some mighty good people in this world!

It would depend in more than a little degree on the competency of the vet performing the surgery. I'd expect that most people would want to take their dogs for debarking to a vet with a track record of expertise & success in the procedure. It'd be very tempting of fate, to do otherwise. Those dogs I encountered belonged to 'show' people & they told me the operating vet was one well known for his skill & experience. Yep....I asked for the name, quick smart. :)

Yes, the first debarked dogs I met (& didn't know )...didn't sound in the least strange, strangled or strained. Their bark was plain pleasant... a lower tone without the high frequency pitches that carry over distance & annoy. Yes.... I'd expected a debarked dog must sound strange, strangled or strained. I was proven wrong. Humans get their voice tone changed, too. But humans can do it via speech therapy & voice training. It's not uncommon for women who work in jobs like newsreading to have training to lower their pitch. Margaret Thatcher, ex-PM in the UK, had a naturally high pitched voice that was hard on the ear. One of her political colleagues commented that her voice could bring down sparrows flying over-head. She had voice training to lower her pitch (so no more sparrows died :) ) Humans have theory of mind, so they're aware of such changes. Means they can do it via voice training. Dogs don't & aren't....so they have some minimally invasive surgery.

I was the same, Christina, when all I knew about 'debarking' was the word! Then I came across a couple of tibbies, who had the 'sexiest' barks... without all those high pitches that make sound carry. Actually very pleasant to the ear. I assumed they must have been born like that (shades of Lady Gaga's song!). I remarked to the owners what lovely 'sexy' barks their dogs had. Jokingly I said I'd like a sexy voice, like theirs. They fell about laughing & told me I'd have to get debarked first. Couldn't believe it! They told me the name of the highly-skilled & experienced vet who carried it out....in accordance with Q'ld law, which is remarkably humane & sensible on this question. Means that the barking must've caused a problem where people complain, all other avenues must've been tried but it persists....& working thro' the process is up to the professional decision-making of the vet.

Not self-promotion at all! Good on The Age for promoting a great need that's just as much about the welfare of humans as it is about the welfare of animals. The reporting is excellent.... so many good examples are given and so much backing from those managing welfare areas. The photos are a joy. People who are so down on their luck but looking so happy with their pets. And the much-loved pets are beaming! I hope The Age follows up soon with some good news that Jack & his 'dad' have found a solution. 9yr old Jack is gorgeous, BTW.

I'm so sorry, Kirty, at your loss. But Stevie would never be sorry she came into your care. It's not length of life that counts for dogs, it's the quality of the life. You gave her the very best until the balance tipped & nothing humanly possible could stop that distress. She's at peace now. Take care.

Just lovely. So many good people in it... those helping and those being helped who love their dogs so much. And the beautiful dogs! Such a program has been going on in Brisbane for some time now. Also a collaboration between a charity group & the RSPCA. They have gatherings regularly where vets check the dogs (& cats) & health-care products and pet food are handed out. DD's right, that was in a DOL thread some time back. The Brisbane charity is called Footprints and the pet support component (with RSPCA) is called Pawprints. It also provides pet support for vulnerable people, like the disabled and elderly, who are in accommodation. http://www.couriermail.com.au/ipad/paw-fect-match-for-the-lonely-and-disabled/story-fn6ck45n-1226347196984

Excellent! Maybe ask for a face-to-face appointment with him, after you've sent the written comments?

Yes, that's just the kind of balance needed. You can inform & persuade people about all the benefits from careful matching...which may sometimes result in a refusal. But you can't control what individuals make of that. The fact that some people say things like, 'For heaven's sake! It's just a dog.' and 'I can just walk into a pet shop & buy a puppy.'.... probably means they're not what you're looking for in a dog owner, anyway. Rescuers can't control the whole world, they can just do the best they can for each of their dogs.

I get what you mean. It's a case of letting a potential adopter know the ground rules right from the start... & why they're in place. And reassure them about any refusal. Like, when applicable, refer them on to another rescue that has a certain type of dog that may be a better match, or whatever. But having said that, there will be people who'll see 'turn down' as 'personal' despite all reassurance. A rescuer can only do what they think best in a situation... & put down some experiences to human nature. It'd be a good thing, tho', for more 'consumer' public education for pet buyers, which points out that screening for matching is actually in a person's best interests. It's one pointer that the person you're buying/adopting from is tuned into 'dog-owner relationships', not just selling. So we need to provide balance for articles like the one in the OP.

Yes, several times when I've suggested a rescue dog to a person, they've replied, 'Don't like rescue groups. They ask too many questions.' I always answer and so, too, do ethical registered breeders of purebreds. Both want a good match, for both the dog's sake AND the new owner's sake. UQ found the biggest excuse given for dumping/surrendering dogs was that the dog did not live up to the owner's expectations. The time around possible adoption is the time to start testing out that match, to prevent later problems. One of the people who adopted a purebred tibbie from a good registered breeder, remarked that it was like when she adopted a child! She meant it with admiration... she said it showed how much the breeder valued her dog & cared about a good future.

Actually that is a great example! It also means you can choose which level you want to work at. And plan things accordingly....

Actually, I thought that was a very good parallel... pointing out the difference between baking cookies for a fete and opening a cookie shop. You must think well in the heat. :)

They're very safe drivers, those doggies. Not one is talking on a mobile phone.

They're not into the serious business of teaching dogs how to drive so they can do driving 'work' somehow. They're rescue dogs and the SPCA is doing it as a once-only demonstration that abandoned dogs are as smart in learning, as any others. It's showing potential to learn & be biddable, rather than potential to join humans as serious drivers. SPCA Auckland Chief executive Christine Kalin said: ‘I think sometimes people think because they're getting an animal that's been abandoned that somehow it's a second-class animal. ‘The dogs have achieved amazing things in eight short weeks of training, which really shows with the right environment just how much potential all dogs from the SPCA have as family pets.’

Someone added a link that has pictures of the dogs and more details on how it was done. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2243537/You-really-CAN-teach-old-dog-new-tricks-The-strays-trained-drive-car.html

I think greyhound rescues are as much about public education of what makes these dogs great companion pets. Which is why I like the full name of the breed getting the emphasis in any rescue title. And also avoiding anything that refers to speed and racing.... because people think it means they're high energy pets needing a lot of exercise. That's what I used to think. Couldn't be further from the truth, after I met them in real life. Our neighbours' greyhounds are couch potatoes, liking a stroll once a day... calmest, easiest to own dogs, I know,

Yes, I heard the Dogs in Art segment this morning. They said a main way to identify if a William Dobell painting is genuine, is that it will have dogs in it. If it doesn't, the painting's a fake. I also heard a promo for the program earlier in Fran Kelly's morning show. Another announcer remarked to her that he knew Fran owns a dog whose pedigree goes way, way back to last September, when she adopted him from the pound. Fran added that his name is George.

Well, the first step would be entry TO the campus. Requires some basic science to qualify to get there. The beneficial effects of dogs (& other animals) on human health (both mental & physical) has been measured in scientifically rigorous research. One such is the Harvard Study of Adult Development which has been following the lives of a cohort of regular people since 1937 (over 70 years). A significant finding was that 3 factors stuck out as 'gold coins' around happiness & well-being. Happy intimate relationship like a good marriage, having good friends and owning a dog. Across all the adult stages. It's not a case of touchy feely.... there are physiological benefits that follow. Providing groups of people with access to animals, is not confined to dogs. Army groups have always had animal mascots. At Enoggera's Gallipoli Barracks, the mascot for the Transport Battalion is... a camel. For the Signallers... a rooster. Both of which are cherished & cared for, on base. The major battalion there has an Australian Cattle dog called Blue. All of those mascots are officially recognized. Blue has even got a promotion. I think he's now a corporal.

Thought the same thing. And the poster has supplied his/her own diagnosis in his/her own words...'The mind boggles'. Seriously Boggled Mind. :) On a more positive note. I worked at a university that had a Vet School. I'd take our Sheltie to work in order to drop her there for any treatments. The walk across the campus would normally take 5 minutes. But, when I had Shelley with me, I'd get stopped again and again by country & international students. They would pat and cuddle her... & tell me about their own family dogs back home. So I'd aim for a 15 minutes walk on those days! I also read a comment about the military dogs on Australian bases in Afghanistan. It was said that these dogs also do something else, beside their 'war' work. They bring a sense of 'normalcy' in a highly stressful environment, far from home. Most of the soldiers have pet dogs at home. And the presence of these happy and well socialised dogs provide some 'therapy' that had never been intended.

Interesting thing is that WA Consumer Protection took action against her. I reckon that's one darn good option because people buying puppies need to know they come from a source that's acceptable in terms of welfare. The physical & mental health and socialisation needs of parent dogs & puppies are seriously compromised in 'places' like this woman's. By putting a focus on consumer protection, it can 'up' public education about how puppies are best raised so they have the firm foundation needed to become companion dogs. And consumer authority warnings about anything less than that, can stop the money trail for puppy farmers. The Australian Consumers' Association (CHOICE) has a very good page on their website which provides guidelines. I'd like to see more State-based Consumer Protection authorities move into this area. A great support for animal welfare...

Great idea! I looked up the dog therapy program at the other Canadian University the article mentioned. McGill University. Lovely pair of collies doing the work. https://www.mcgill.ca/channels/event/take-paws-your-studies-dogs-library-219226

I heard a police officer giving tips on home security. He said the value of a dog was in doing just that... barking. Because a barking dog tends to bring out people to look at what's going on, or even just to check the dog.

We had a little sheltie boy, named Danny. Found wandering lost in awful condition. But with help from Sheltie Club of Q'ld & the UQ Vet Clinic, he was restored to being a truly lovely little dog. Despite all efforts, no owner could be located & we adopted him. Everyone found it hard to believe that someone didn't miss this little bloke. But he had one interesting behaviour....he would watch with great interest young men on motor bikes. No, it wasn't the sound of the bike... or wanting to chase it. When a young man on a motor bike pulled up anywhere nearby at traffic lights, Danny would stand up against the car window & really look searchingly at the young man. It was if he was looking for someone. He didn't do it if the person were older... only young men.