mita

I'm so sorry that your Skye got a Schnauzer cut. I thank my lucky stars for the groomer I take the tibbie girls to. She knows the various breeds (even the less common ones like the tibbies) & the grooming procedures to make them look the best for that breed.

I think you might have hit the nail on the head. The OP is looking for a statement of 'rule', while this refusal for his dog to wear a prong collar at training, seems more a 'convention' in that organisation. A convention is based on general agreement about how something is to be done. While a rule is a binding code. If the OP wants to challenge the generality of that convention, then I'd suggest he approaches the organisation and its membership & sets out his position on the use of the prong collar.

That's great progress. He's sure learning trust. By the way, his breed is the National Dog of Malta, their place of origin. It was British dog show people who gave it the Egyptian name. His Maltese breed name is Kelb tal-Fenek, which means Rabbit Hound. Breed fanciers have been trying for ages to get the breed's original name restored. There's some interesting information here on Keeping a Kelb tal-Fenek. http://www.kelb-tal-fenek.de/indexeng.htm My background is Maltese.

Yes, that's popular with small dog owners. The suburb is Ferny Grove & is in the Brisbane City Council area. It's Ferny Grove Police Station right beside it. Ferny Hills is an adjacent suburb which is in the Moreton Council area.

...as Sandgrubber has summarised, in capital letters for spot on emphasis. And my example of a pitbull X which matched a stock photo of a pitbull.....but who demonstrated a life-long soft temperament. So your point is a good one, that predicting a specific behaviour solely from appearance, belongs in a past that was not well-informed by science. My later reference was specifically given to cyber to fill out the understanding of genes.

There's a good overview of genes and environment in relation to both animal & human behaviour here. http://www.biologyreference.com/Ar-Bi/Behavior-Genetic-Basis-of.html

That is such a good sign that she had a good time. I agree with the person who said that dogs of all sizes need and love a good 'free play'. I hope you're able to find a dog park with a section for the small dogs. If you're in Brisbane, that Council provides several. You might also be able to locate other owners of small dogs who'd be happy to take part in a play-date in someone's backyard.

The funny thing is that the stock photo of a pitbull which accompanied the SMH article, is the spitting image of Gypsy. Gypsy was the pitbull X owned by my mother's neighbours. They'd raised her as a well-socialised, sensibly trained family dog, from the time she was a puppy. Far from being a 'dangerous dog', Gypsy was the complete softie. She was terrorised by my mother's white Persian cat, Colette. Colette could reduce Gypsy to a faint by just staring at her with evil, light-blue eyes. Gypsy coped by pretending she couldn't see Colette, whenever the cat was nearby. 'Cat? What cat?'. A few times, Gypsy mistook something white for Colette. Like when her owner was carrying a white mop up the steps....or when the neighbour's white-haired mother also came up the steps. Gypsy would be reduced to a trembling wreck. If Gypsy had her way, white Persian cats should be banned.

There was an excellent article in the Sydney Morning Herald (last weekend's edition). Heading was: The Pitbull. Sub-heading: Banning breeds may not prevent dog attacks. The Federal Gov's Attorney-General was quoted as saying there should be 'national registration laws' (???) and 'tougher penalties' to govern the 'management of dangerous dogs'. But the article went up-hill from there. Pointing out that labelling a dog ' a restricted breed' is not the same as labelling a dog 'a dangerous dog'. It was said that 'a dangerous' dog is 'one that has killed or repeatedly threatened a person or animal, of has displayed unreasonable aggression'. The article goes on that preventing dog attacks by restricting breeds such as pitbulls is more difficult than it might seem. It's bluntly stated that the RSPCA, the Australian Veterinary Association and academic researchers have all criticised this approach. The Association said the Victorian laws would lull the public into a false sense of security and do little to address the problem of dog bites "It's important to recognise that most dogs don't bite and only a tiny proportion of dogs are aggressive," said Susan Maastrich, the Victorian executive director of the Association. "Just declaring that some breeds are dangerous and others aren't, is misleading." The article goes on to quote Linda Watson from Monash University who provides statistics to illustrate this. And finishes, 'She and others argue that banning dogs based on breed is not fair, and is less effective than targeting owners who raise aggressive dogs, no matter what the breed.' It's so good to see such a well-reasoned article, as opposed to the usual reactionary and badly-informed stuff. May reason prevail that the key lies in what people do, not simply what dogs are. It may help to point this out to local Federal members of Parliament.

I also think that the open-slather off-leash dog parks are too dangerous for small dogs. Though the Brisbane City Council has several dog parks where a section is fenced off for small dogs only. I'd like to see all dog parks provide that option. Overall, I think 'play dates' with other dogs belonging to friends are good in meeting socialisation needs.

Do you wish to borrow my tent Mita. I dont think you golden beauties will like to rough it. You're not wrong. My golden beauties would sit on the window sill, inside, and watch the mad campers outside.

Yes. The term 'registered' doesn't mean anything until it's clear who the registering body is. So it should be hyphenated, as in ANKC-registered breeder. Much further along the line, I'd like to see the purebreeds, under that registration, have a marker with their breed label , too. To differentiate from the 'products' of unregistered breeders.

Exactly! There's the key. Same with the lost female pitbull we found. It was easy to see why she had a sweet, sensible, biddable nature....even tho' she was in a stressful situation surrounded by strangers. When her owners came to collect her, they were nice, well-presented, doggie-loving & knowledgeable people, who'd raised her just like you've done with your dogs. I was pleased to see what was in this week-end's Sydney Morning Herald about the notion of banning dog breeds.....with reference to the Victorian situation. Excellent quotes from experts who gave compelling reasons why that's the wrong direction. And there was a wonderful cartoon by Leunig showing a woman cautioning her OH who's taking the dog for a walk. She's telling him not to let the dog attack anyone. But the bloke at the other end of the leash is the one who looks the anti-social one. At last, the spotlight is going firmly on what people do....& where the outcome in terms of dog behaviour is the result.

Very sensible comment. Along with the comment by an earlier poster who said they'd like to hear the other side of the story.

I've already got my retirement dogs. Tibetan spaniels. After having the working breeds, ACDs, BCs and shelties. Tho' I'm tempted by GT's budgie. And I love Teebs' choice of a pound staffy that no one else wants.

Yes, to SK's comments, from me, too. Just adding that all breeds, when bred, socialised and managed well, are capable of producing thoroughly nice dogs. Once, I heard my tibbies barking near the side fence. When I looked, they were playing with a lost dog who was running up & down with them.....all tails wagging. One look at the lost dog....it was a beautiful looking female pitbull, in excellent condition. First one, I'd seen in real life. She was with a nice looking little spaniel-type dog.....also in good condition. Neighbours & their children had come out by then. So I leaned across the fence & held the pitbull girl by the collar while talking to her soothingly. She was, in objective terms, a sweetheart. She seemed to be very caring for her little spaniel friend. But she was so responsive to human touch and a soothing voice. Happy to be biddable with humans. It took a while to track down the owners. So I held her for nearly 1/2 hour. Her owners had been travelling through the city & the 2 dogs had got through a gate in the house they'd been visiting. When the pitbull girl was loaded into the back of the station sedan, she wouldn't go completely in, until her spaniel friend was put up next to her. The owners were nice people who'd owned her since she was a puppy and she was much loved & well-cared for.....alongside her little spaniel friend. She was a delight in every way....looks, nature and with considerable grace under the stress of being lost and among strangers. The owners deserved huge credit for how they'd raised her.

Amazing how they're still going after 'breed' when every bit of research suggests they're looking in the wrong place. Bit like the drunk searching under the streetlight for the keys he'd dropped. Even though he dropped them elsewhere. His reason being, he's got some light to see by.

It was a pleasure to donate direct to these people who are genuinely doing the right thing by a couple of well-loved & well-cared for pets.

Good on you for considering both. The good, experienced foster-carers of rescue dogs can tell you all about them, just like the good registered breeders can. Both have already put work into their dogs. Right now, we're doing some preliminary 'work' for a young adult tibetan spaniel who's coming up here, from her registered breeder, to join a family as a desexed pet. She's the daughter of one of my girls. So the family's resident pet tibbie, a desexed boy, is coming over to have a play date with our girl. When a look-alike joins his home in a couple of weeks, he won't be too surprised! I came across an excellent book recently, at a sale. It's called Adopt the Perfect Dog: A Practical Guide to Choosing and Training an Adult Dog. I don't like the word 'perfect' in the title! But it's a book full of ideas about adopting & settling in adult dogs, from breeders & from rescue (or wherever). The author, Gwen Bailey, is chairperson of the (UK) Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors. Published by Readers Digest.

My opinion would be biased because we've always adopted an adult dog, and have had good experiences with them. So I hope there'll be other opinions posted as well. Our breed of choice has been the more brachy tibetan spaniels. They've been adopted from registered breeders who wanted to settle them in a good pet home. Those breeders were very helpful in matching the right tib for us. Their dogs had been raised in very social & loving home environments , so they came to me already well socialised. I found it pretty easy to 'train' the adult dogs into their new home way of life. Within a couple of months, it was as if they'd lived here all their lives. The youngest we adopted was 7 months old & the oldest 8 years old. No worries at all with the older one, I'd be happy to adopt an even more senior dog, from the same circumstances. Others have been 3 years, 5 years, 7 years. All settled in within a couple of months.

Well done, Tank & Zephyr. I totally agree with you, that these wonderfully raised dogs are the best antidote to the more usual publicity that big dogs like Rotties are born to cause problems. That's why I knew about the Vic Dogs Therapy Team photo. I was forever using it to show people what's the outcome when the people at the end of their leash, know what they're doing.

Another dog who attended his master's funeral. Caesar, the beloved dog of King Edward VII, walked immediately behind the funeral cortege in the procession to Westminster Abbey. . In front of all the princes, emperors, presidents. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1264951/Caesar-terrier-dog-appearance-ay-Edward-VIIIs-funeral-tells-state-nation-today.html

That is great news! You mean your dogs are now in the Dogs Vic therapy team? I heard a breeder represented them talking on radio national some time back, about the dog therapy work. When she said her dog was a rottie, the interviewer was very surprised. It was obvious he had the wrong idea that rottie = person killer. She then summarised all that went into the breeding, raising & management of her rotties, which meant they were beautifully socialised dogs. She was brilliant! I wish a lot more of the public could hear someone like her. This breeder also made the point that the dogs were still showdogs. She said the residents they visited looked forward to their coming in, after a show, with the prize ribbons. They loved to see 'their' dogs doing so well in the showring, as well as in the pet stakes.

The tibetan spaniel breeders have an international data base on documented health checks. Country of origin is denoted by their flag. This process is overviewed by an International Working Party, which has representatives in each country, including Australia. http://www.tibbies.net/itswp/health-tests On same site, there's a search facility for a tibetan spaniel pedigree data base. Again, international.

You lucky duck, with such a cute & sensible foster. The Military puppies I saw on that weekend were just ready to go out to foster. I wouldn't be surprised if yours is one of them. That's so great how he's started his 'working' life in your workshop. I bet the program coordinator was chuffed with everything on offer in your placement. I hope this encourages other people to apply to foster.