mita

VC, it's one of those Facebook pages where you have to be on Facebook to open it. So people who are not on Facebook can't see it. AWL Qld's Facebook page is one where people don't have to be on Facebook to see and read. Would you consider changing yours to be the same?

Good on you for highlighting the needs of Sharyn & Russell's rescue. I'll certainly look into helping in any way I can. And I have full confidence in any recommendation that comes from you. Your own rescue work is marked by integrity and long experience.

I also sent it to the President of the Tibetan Spaniel Association, asking if she knew any registered TM breeders she could send the ad on to. Instant reply....yes, she does....& she did so straight away.

Thanks for that. It explains why they said they work in with the RSPCA Inspector in Rockhampton.

Yes, I looked up the ad & was puzzled that it says Offered By: Registered Breeder. Or does the advertiser mean he came from a RB. Sounds a nice fellow, described as good with kids & dogs, quiet, loving & somewhat lazy. I'll send the ad on to the Qld registered tibbie breeder who used to own a Tibetan Mastiff.

There's a volunteer group in Gladstone called Friends of the RSPCA, who foster and rehome dogs they take in. I have no idea if those 2 doggies fit into the category they accept into this program. But maybe your friend could make enquiries. As you've brought up the worry about undesexed dogs, maybe your friend could also consider getting them desexed. Details here: http://adoptioncentregladstone.com/joomla/index.php/faq.html

Mita, do you cook it or grate it into their food raw? I dice the sweet potato and cook it in the microwave. It's a staple part of their main meal every day. I also keep some of those cooked dices in the fridge. The girls will eat them like treats.

Yes, the vet nurse & the 2,382 people who spread posters are heroes! Also the UK police were outstanding in how seriously they took the theft. They even allocated one officer as contact person. And added this to the Stolen posters: Anyone who thinks they may have spotted Alice is urged to contact Pc Gary Dixon, of Thames Valley Police, on the non emergency telephone number, 101, or alternatively, their local police force. God forbid that a similar theft should happen here. But this case proves what can happen when there's co-operation.

Sweet potato is my tibbie girls' daily staple. Nutritionally rich vegetable. The vet told me that he often recommends it for the diets of dogs that have skin conditions. Mine don't. But since I've added sweet potato, the groomer has asked me what am I feeding my girls, because of the healthy state of their fur.

Yes, as I understand it, people's shoes can become a carrier because the parvo is in the ground. As someone else said, the grass & carpark outside the clinic would give them more concern...no one scrubs them like the clinic floors are! And people's shoes are marching over exterior surfaces all the time. Registered breeders I know exercise great caution in that regard & will ask visitors to either remove shoes or they disinfect the soles.

Just got an update on Alice, the last of the UK tibbies stolen from her breeders' property. She's been found, thanks to the enormous efforts of social networking where thousands of people joined the hunt & passed posters around to places like vets. Alice had been sold by the thief to a lass looking for a pet dog for her mother. They took her to a vet clinic because she had a minor injury. The vet nurse had heard the publicity. She checked for a microchip. And it proved to be Alice. She is presently on her way home. No wonder breeders have to take into account security on their properties. And bless microchipping!

They're just shining with good health....as well as cuteness. This is the start to life all puppies should have....mother dog assessed & given best of care, puppies, too. And lots of contact with their human carers. Great work!

Oh Mita. :) Or 'Title" Doesn't like Vet visits. :) Or, Liz, 'He's been like this since I first took him as a pup.' :)

I can't resist this. Super-cautious owner at the vet's.

What is/was my relationship with the breed? My family owned a pet Cardigan Corgi, named Biddy, when we were children. She was a wonderful, adaptable family dog. Equally happy in the house following my mother around, or in the garden playing very sensibly with the children, or out on my father's boat in Moreton Bay. She was so intelligent that she'd figure out what activity was now on, & would change her behaviour accordingly. Like, every morning she'd check what my father was wearing. If he was in his clothes for work, Biddy would ignore him & go off to become my mother's house shadow for the day. But if he has wearing clothes for going out on his boat, Biddy would streak down to his car and sit there waiting to go, too. She was quite famous out on the bay, with charter boat skippers yelling, 'Gidday, Biddy!' as they went by. My father couldn't even say the words 'boat' or 'fishing' on the phone, the night before. Otherwise, Biddy would go down to his car and sit waiting all night. He used to spell the words.... But, after a while, Biddy started to cotton on to that, too. Biddy taught me that Cardigan Corgis are a perfect family dog.

Me, too! :)

Just playing a bit Devil's Advocate. :) The American Tibetan Mastiff folk wisely gave the most 'full on' description of owning a TM as a pet on that website. Because it helps warn off anyone but the most able & willing to deal with any of the possible extremes. Those TM people have a great reputation for being knowledgeable, responsible and committed to the breed. I heard of them because the American Tibetan Spaniel Association thinks so highly of them. Interestingly, that American Tibetan Spaniel Association also has, on their website, a listing of why a Tibetan Spaniel might not be the breed for a particular owner. They, too, set out some possible 'extremes'. But as a long time Tibbie owner, I haven't seen those 'extremes' in our dogs. Or the traits are very mild and no great problem in our lifestyle. One big difference, of course, is size. As Aussie said, some of the TM warnings sounded a bit like her dog....but the TM has that much more mass to do things with. Like Sujo said... eat the door. :) The Rescue page of the American TM group shows the variation & how the individual dogs differ across the traits. They rate each dog across the traits and give an honest account of its background and needs. Interesting reading if you click the pics of the TMs....& they're far enough away in the US so you can't go adopt :) But, just hypothetically....would there be one that'd tempt you & maybe fit your circumstances and ability to manage? My choice would be Mesa with Reggie to complete the pair. http://www.tibetanmastiffrescueinc.org/rescue-a-tibentan-mastiff.cfm

Yes, and Andrea (as well as some others) has been able to post about her actual experience in running a rescue. The OP referred to her own observations of a rescue group (not identified) that has not posted their experience from their point of view. I'm not having a go at you, muttrus. After all you acknowledged that, by turning it into a general issue for discussion.

I didnt MEH, and have never spoken with GM over the phone or even via Pm? And you didn't say you did, in your post, Nic. You started your sentence with, 'If....'. You set up a hypothetical situation of a phone call.

So the dog is one that is best kept from interacting with children. The owner shows she knows that & separates the dog from children when they are visiting. You have then felt safe to have your children visiting that home & have shown that by continuing to do so. Looks like the owner has arrived at one management strategy which works in one respect. It's not totally unusual for some owners to separate their dogs when there are children visiting. For example, some small dogs are overwhelmed by the liveliness & 'touchiness' of children playing with them. Also other dogs can get highly excited with children running & squealing...& that triggers a prey drive or need to 'correct'.

You say your children spend a lot of time at the home with the dog in question. You are saying the dog's behaviour has been reasonable enough for you to allow this. Does that mean the unpredictable behaviour....& the snapping at the owner's face...has only been recent? So it's only now you believe you have cause to worry? Just clarifying if there's been a marked change in the dog's behaviour.

Lab Rat, didn't you love the comment from the TM owner who said that a TM's idea of being with you, was if you were in the same country. :)

I totally agree with your way of working that factors in some more vet costly dogs, but within a costing plan. In fact, its just such a rescue that I'd be likely to donate to, when a special case is selected. Head and heart very well balanced.

A Qld Tibbie breeder was at a dog show, when one of her tibbie puppies took off among the crowds of people & dogs. She searched & searched. She eventually found the tibbie puppy, sitting safe & happy between the front paws of a Tibetan Mastiff.

As to what TMs are like with small dogs. My Tibetan Spaniel, Angel, was raised by a Qld breeder who owned a Tibetan Mastiff as the 'big dog' on the property that had a crowd of little tibbies and shih tzus. I've attached a pic from a TM breeder in Portugal, who owns a Tibetan Spaniel as the 'little dog' on her property (she's on our TS international list). Click to enlarge. Recently, I had to look up the website of the TM breeder in the US who runs their rescue service. She's highly respected. I was very impressed with the information she gave on that site about having a TM as a pet. I'll see if I can find that for you. FOUND: The American TM Association. Info on why a TM might be for you... but also why not. Lovely pics on that site. http://www.tibetanmastiff.org/HTMLfiles/Breedfacts/breedfacts.htm