mita

She looks beautiful in her updated photos. I love the bit of tongue hanging out as she sleeps. Very smart new coat, too!

Files away 'Scallywags DOGrescue', if ever they have an urgent need...

That's wonderful. It's a US program, but It'd be great if similar were done here. The website specially mentions veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. The lovely calm & grace of greyhounds would be so suitable.

I agree, Greytmate. The trick would be to make what behaviours are expected, clear....& why....but without sounding like it's wanted to isolate the dogs from people. 'Just ask & the owner will tell you if it's OK to pat or not.... And they might have time to tell you more about the dog or the breed.' Good way to start a conversation. My neighbour, who has home-bred racing greyhounds was telling me recently how chuffed he is, when people ask if it's OK for their children to pat his greys. He socialises his puppies & dogs well, so they love being petted. One of his dogs became a Q'ld sprint champion, but he's just as proud of another, named Bertha, who adores small children & is amazingly good with them. He & Bertha once were almost late for a race at the track, because a family asked if their children could pat her. Which led to a love-in!

As a pet puppy buyer, the more careful a breeder is, in screening me for suitability, the more impressed I am with how this person regards his/her own dogs. The best companion dogs come from well-socialised parent dogs....and, so from breeders, who socialise their puppies, up close & personal, from birth. A breeder who continues this bond by wanting only the best home for puppies, is the one who goes to top of my list. I'd expect a person like that to screen carefully. The dog's future welfare, is the focus. When I went looking for our first dog from registered breeders, I phoned around and gave brief general information about me, our lifestyle & our history as pet owners. I gave the kind of information & documentation that I'd want if anyone were getting a precious puppy from me. I said I'd follow that up by sending this information in writing, with names & contacts for referees who'd be willing to vouch for me. It led to getting a gorgeous young purebred with a lovely temperament. After the little dog was delivered to me.....the breeder brought all the prizes she'd won, including Best Puppy in entire Royal Brisbane Show. I asked why she hadn't told me about prizes....& she said she knew I'd just loved the little one for what she was. (She was right!) What had impressed her was that we'd owned a little mixed breed dog, rescued after thrown from a car as a puppy, who lived until 22 yrs of age. Much loved, greatly cared for & sadly missed.

Yes, a good idea is to set up things so that members of the public know what's expected. In a perfect world (which it's not!), everyone would ask first, 'May I pat your dog?' But, as others have said, some people just step up & start petting. Tho' as ness posted, sometimes most people DO ask. So maybe figure out ways that can let the public know....like a sign on an exhibit space that says....'Please ask....' or reminders over the PA...'Remember to ask....' Same behaviour as would be expected towards any dogs in public.

What a great label....a Lovehound. Comes in all shapes & sizes.

That makes sense there'd be a variety in activity levels. Some of the former soldiers are dealing with conditions that slow them down, so high activity wouldn't be suitable. But others are still very physically active so the working dog type would fit. Apart from that, the being good with people & eager to please are features of a good companion dog. Best wishes for Priya.

Good thinking, Chezy. Only says 'under 2 yrs' on the website. It's a bit dicey to guess from the 3 dogs in the Courier-Mail, but they seemed to be taller or more solid dogs. Our neighbour was interested because he has beautiful, home- bred & well socialised racing greyhounds. Sometimes he finds only the best of pet (desexed) homes for one.

I love his colouring. Reminds me of a kelpie. But that big happy smile does look like a golden retriever's. He's beautiful, with his own special 'look'.

Yes, yes and yes. I have a p/b little dog with a luxating patella & I regard it as insignificant next to her outstanding looks, temperament & general health. Offer me millions for her....& it'd be No Sell! And I'm eternally grateful to her breeder....for letting me have her.

There's a program where companion dogs help Australian soldiers who have physical. mental or stress conditions following service. Seems there's programs like this in the UK and the US, too. But the Australian one is different in that the training of the dog involves the digger along with the usual experienced trainer & other assistance. All information at link below. At the end of the article it asks people to contact them if they think they have a dog who might be suitable. Email address given. A feature about the program in this morning's Sunday Mail in Brisbane, said that some of the dogs had been rescued from pounds. So could be handy for rescuers to know about this. The dogs already trained & living with their new owners & featured in the SM article, were Articia, a husky, Allegra, a wolfhoundX and Ruby, a labradoodle. http://www.youngdiggers.com.au/dogs

Good advice. Hope it helps you with your gorgeous girl. I have a little dog with a luxating patella. It pales into insignificance next to her beautiful looks, glorious temperament and general good health. I wouldn't be parted from her, at any price.

I'm glad you asked this question. I've been trying to figure the best 'basics' for flea & skin & ears treatments.

Has anyone passed on the information to the Poodle Club of NSW? They have a Rescue page (under construction) on their web page. But they may have other means to get word around about these two. http://www.poodleclubnsw.com/index.php/rescue-a-poodle

This. I don't think I'd show a dog with a major structural fault as movement is so important to my breed. But if I did I'd expect it to be judged accordingly. However I might breed a carrier of a genetic fault to a genetically clear dog depending on the fault, the mode of inheritance, my ability to be completely certain that the mating could not produce an affected animal, and if I was sure any carriers produced could be identified by DNA and their future breeding prospects managed accordingly. If it was a disease with a complicated or poorly understood mode of inheritance and no reliable test, and which materially impacted on a dog's quality of life, then no, no way. Edited to add - I wouldn't show a surgically altered dog. This makes sense to me.

I'm getting sore ribs from laughing at some of the posts. No bears around, if you own an Akita....& Bernice the Mountain Dog. Recently, someone told me their neighbour owns a very unusual dog breed. Me: 'Oh, what's the name of the breed?' Someone: 'Something like a biscuit.' Me: 'Biscuit???????' Much later. Someone: 'It was like a wheatmeal biscuit', that dog.' Me (thinks deeply): " Wheaten Terrier'? Someone: 'Yes! That's it!'

Mmmm, again in a perfect world (where pigs fly), I'd like to see an RSPCA inspector have a chat with a DFT inspector.....then have a combined chat with the small animals market organisers. Seems there could be consumer rights mixed in with possible welfare issues.

Steve, you posted while I was posting. I found the DFT page on market stall holders a bit confusing about when it's necessary to register with them....& also about what the holder is required to display by way of identification. Only thing I could find about Market Organizers was an insurance company offering liability insurance.

I wonder what the Dpt of Fair Trading would say about any responsibility to consumers that organisers of markets have....re actions of sellers & condition of 'products' (small animals in this case). There are consumer rights in relation to dealings with stores and companies. But what about markets? Seems markets are covered. It says market stall holders must supply certain information about 'products' to consumers. Also covers use of names & business names & when to register with Dpt of Fair Trading. http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/Businesses/Specific_industries_and_businesses/Market_stall_holders.html

My less that 10 second Info grab, had a funny ending the other day. When I want both my Tibbies to come.....I call: 'Tibetans!'. I did that the other day when we had a visitor. Visitor: 'What are they?' Me: 'They're spaniels from Tibet.' Visitor (seriously): 'Aren't they clever. They know where they come from!'

Seems that the RSPCA has been stating their concerns to the Show Society. Even though the sale of puppies & kittens in markets is covered in NSW law as legal (along with pet shops). However, the RSPCA says that there could be breaches of current welfare laws that they could find (as others have suggested in this thread). http://www.dailyexaminer.com.au/story/2012/04/19/rspca-scrutinies-pet-sales-grafton/ In a perfect world, I'd like to see the RSPCA, registered breeders' group, rescues and a consumers' group, combine to put on a Responsible Adoption Awareness Program at a Small Animal Market, like this one. Where information and guidelines are given to the public.... on responsibly adopting puppies, kittens or mature age dogs & cats. Which would also explain why none are available for adoption, at this market day. (A perfect world is one where pigs would fly.) There already are quite fair guidelines on how to buy a puppy or dog, ethically....set out by an independent body, CHOICE (formerly Australian Consumers' Association). Maybe the Grafton Show Society could have a look at them to see that 'markets' aren't among the advised sources. http://www.choice.com.au/reviews-and-tests/household/backyard/pets/buying-a-dog.aspx

That fits the greyhounds next door perfectly. Except they still race & they are perfect neighbours (just ask my tibbies who love them). Now my breed. 'Tibetan Spaniels were kept in the Buddhist monasteries of Tibet as companion dogs for the monks. So they're an easy breed to live with. Their nature is like 1/3 dog (loyal & loving), 1/3 cat (self-possessed & clean) & 1/3 monkey (intelligent & happy).'

Ignacio looks like the model's ear-ring! And Willie looks like he's saying, 'Gee, I hope the boys at the dog park, don't see this'. :)