mita

Sounds like a Mexican stand-off! I've posted before how I approached registered breeders. Email with some basic information about me & why I'm making contact. Then, because I'm from another age & like some voice to voice contact, I ask if they'd be prepared to speak with me on the phone, to discuss things further. And tell them, I'd have no problem if they're not taking enquiries at this time & say 'No'. If 'Yes', we talk. If 'No', I move on. And, if I don't for some reason, like what I hear. I move on. There are more registered breeders in heaven & earth than this world dreams of, Horatio. My reasons for preferring buying from a registered breeder remain even if, by chance, I meet one whose 'ways' I don't relate to. I don't have an emotional meltdown & head for a petshop or BYB. Anyone who does, just lacks a very useful trait of being able to postpone rewards. So, in your position, after not liking what I heard, I would move on until I found something I did like. As others have said, you can look nationwide. Best wishes finding the ACD that you feel is right for you. My sister-in-law in Victoria owns 2 p/b ACDs (from registered breeders in that state). They have a great life on acreage.

Best $25 I ever spent was years ago when I had a session with a UQ vet behaviorist, when our sheltie had separation anxiety. But we didn't know that, just thought we had a psycho dog who ripped up the sunroom soft furnishings. But that behaviorist explained the dog behaviour....&' messages' behind it. She also explained what dogs need. So the list of not very complicated things we had to do, made sense. It was all based on understanding what was going on. Within days, I started to see changes in the sheltie, for the better. Within weeks, the behaviour had disappeared. I told that vet her approach fitted in with the rule of thumb for behaviour management for children. You can't change others behaviour, but you can change your own behaviour... which then influences the other person to change theirs. It's this understanding which is critical. And it's why I'm not a big fan of dog training out in the paddock (except for socialisation purposes), but training in the everyday contexts for that dog. To my utter surprise, I'm finding I'm learning some things from watching Cesar Milan, now that he's on ABC TV. I've picked up a few tips from him....that worked! He says it's what's going on BEFORE the training commands that counts.

I think it's a matter of how individual dogs, with their individual personalities, sort things with each other. I've twice had a pair of desexed, ex-show tibbie girls. When one came to join the resident girl, there were a few hissy fits at first. But after a while, they've become absolutely devoted to each other. We had a male & female sheltie (both desexed). The male was a saint of a dog, the female a bossy drama queen. Danny put up with her for ages. Then one day, she pushed him away (he was much smaller) to take his treat. Saint Danny lost it....& lit into her. No harm done, a lot of fur flying. And the drama queen was outraged...'Did you see what that brute did?'. No sympathy from anyone. Danny went back to being a saint. Madam was just a little more polite around him.

I hope you'll take up SG's great offer. One of the tips for helping an anxious or under-confident dog is to give it time with dogs that aren't. Also you can learn so much, too, from watching the little things in how their owner manages them. Little things that mean a lot! Best wishes in taking up all the ideas.

There's a Facebook page for 3 Japanese rescue groups who've combined to help. Info on their Wall about needs they're working on. And lovely pic of a woman who wouldn't go to an evacuation centre because she couldn't take her dog. She stayed in her rickety house. Said she's grateful pet rescue folk are out helping. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=208...8979&ref=nf

World Vets International Aid for Animals is sending personnel & resources to Japan to help with the animals. I'd imagine, tho', that the numbers of pets & other animals needing help would be enormous. http://www.facebook.com/WorldVets ADDED: More here about how Japan's own animal rescue groups are cooperating to save animals. Along with World Vets and another international agency. http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/03/ja...o-save-pets.php

There's a group called World Vets International Aid for Animals. Based in the US, but it's a bit like a Doctors Without Borders, but for animals. I'd heard of them before, when the US Navy helped them out to get assistance to animals in Timor. World Vets have sent personnel & resources to help with the pets & other animals in Japan. Pics on their Facebook page, including the one of the little muddied dog reunited with its owner. (Looks a bit like a tib or peke). It was a US tibbie breeder/writer of the breed manual, who told us about the World Vets group. http://www.facebook.com/WorldVets

I thought the same as Rottifan, right from your first post in this thread. How lucky your lovely girl was to have you as her owner. You gave her the best of everything, right down to the hardest decision we have to make for our dogs. To give her peace & no more pain that we can't turn back. Thinking of you.

Agree. That's cost effective, too. Should be enough, but if you ever want to add on keeping the dogs away from the fenceline. Staple the long end of a roll of chicken wire about 18 inches up the fenceline & pull the other long end out along the ground & secure it. Dogs are not keen on walking on chicken wire & even less if it's up hill! (Old trick from country areas to keep foxes away from chook pen walls.)

Some people don't have a 'Can I help here!' antenna. I'd have been disappointed, too. There are good people, tho'. Once I was walking 2 shelties on leads. A woman came along with an ACD, not on a lead. She had the leash over her arm! The ACD went into circle & snap action. Ignoring the woman's order to 'Come'. Shelties were terrified & kept turning to try to face the ACD, thus tying my legs in their leads. Two blokes driving by in a truck, took it all in. Put on the brakes, jumped out. While one grabbed the ACD by the collar, the other untangled the leads around my legs. First bloke grabbed the lead off the woman's arm & put it on the ACD. Shoved it into her hand. I said 'Thank you!'...& they leapt back in the truck & off. Not a word did they say. They just did it!

Along with the others, I couldn't recommend Pets in Peace more. We've used them for 3 pets now & I'm glad to know they're still there, whenever needed again. Their services & genuine care are exceptional. When our beloved senior sheltie died, she was still magnificently beautiful. The Pets in Peace people noticed that, too. And, on their own initiative, when the lady delivered Shelley's ashes, she brought a fan she'd fashioned with all the samples of lovely colours from Shelley's coat. Tied with a yellow ribbon. I still have it. Also when our gorgeous tibbie girl died suddenly (from the side effects of a prescribed medication) in the early hours of the morning, we were totally in shock. She'd had no life threatening illness & was in the prime of life. Got on the phone to Pets in Peace and the representative said he'd come straight away. And he did....sat talking with us for some time. It was so, so helpful. When I praised these people for their outstanding services, they just told me it's what they'd want for their own beloved pets.

For Mindy, it just means a different life. As others have said, you can give her whatever tests or treatments she needs. And get involved with any interests she likes. I know people who own an ex-trainee guide dog. He was rejected from the training program because he wanted to play with every dog he met! He's having a great life, now, with a Viszla rellie to play with. And a very loving owner.

We've taken our dogs since the first Million Paws Walks. They were held only at Fairfield & were MC'd by Cam Day. I haven't seen any incidents that stand out. And I've been careful because we own gentle dogs. We used to take the shelties, now the tibbies. But, then, I haven't been in every spot on the days. The event's also grown in size. So a note of caution is reasonable. I've seen a couple of blues at the Council''s K9 activities. But they were smaller events & in a number of activities, dogs were off-lead. They're held in off leash dog parks.

Thank goodness there still seems to be a few places around the Brisbane area. We will pick between Nundah & Samford.

A single lady & her irish wolfhound, Flute, lived in the next street for about 5 years. She was never called anything else by the people around here, except 'Flute's mother.' She'd meet people out shopping who'd say, 'I know you. You're Flute's mother.'

Here's the story from the UK Guardian newspaper. The soldier's body, & the ashes of his dog, were flown home to the UK. He was honoured by people turning out on the streets of his home town, as the funeral cortege went by. Police officers , with their own sniffer dogs, came to pay their respects. Lovely pic: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/mar/10/t...iel-afghanistan

I agree. Most people keep the 'mum' & 'dad' bit to everyday family life. Tho' it's funny when they don't. My father said he remembered the day in a busy shopping street in Caloundra, when my mother called out to their dog. 'Biddy! Go with your father.' He reckoned people looked at him as if here were a great dane.

A good point.

I have one of these, that CW EW posted about. I got it at a local pet supplies store and asked for the highest sides they had in stock. The one I got is fine for 2 tibbies. But I don't know how it'd go with beagles. http://www.epet.com.au/puppys.htm

, it's a fact. Australia is a very unfriendly country when it comes to dogs, having lived in both the U.K. and Europe and travelled extensively overseas I can vouch for that. Yes, family & friends who've travelled in the UK and Europe have said the same. Like, my brother & wife were taken by those taxi drivers in Paris who take their own dogs to work every day. As to taxis here, just carrying dogs as passengers. Years back, I phoned a Brisbane taxi company to ask could an elderly lady take her small dog to the vet in a cab.. They told me it was up to individual drivers if they'd be willing. And for the lady to phone & book ahead saying what she wanted. I have no idea if the position has since changed. There's generally more regulations in place now. In some areas, it's getting slightly better. I read in The Weekend Australian that the travel market inside Australia is changing to meet a market where people are wanting to bring their pets with them, on holidays.

You said I 'keep telling us that'. Then, when questioned, go on to reply 'that' is a huge push to shut down purebred dog showing and even breeding... etc. I was not talking about that. What I said was... what is lacking in Australia is PR to bring attention to the best of the pure-bred dog breeding world here. To counterbalance this stuff that pours into a PR vacuum. Being proactive, that is. I find a deal of what you post to be irrational & reactionary. I'm putting you on ignore.

Who's 'us'? And what is 'that'? What is 'this' that it's a mistake not to believe in Australia? And why do you believe you have mind-reading skills?

RSPCA (UK, my emphasis) senior scientist Claire Calder said: "Anyone thinking of getting a dog needs to be aware of the serious health and welfare problems affecting pedigree dogs and should understand that this is one of the biggest challenges facing dog welfare in the UK today. This quote from the article sums up its worth for me. The context is the UK. Meanwhile, across the North Sea in Denmark, research shows that a bunch of pure breeds are in front of the constitution- leading- to- longevity stakes. Yes, in front of mixed breeds. RSPCA Qld nominates the dogs churned out from awful puppy farms, as the biggest challenge facing dog welfare in Australia. They, in fact, advise people looking for a purebred dog to go to a Canine Association registered breeder, only (Imprint). I'd prefer energy to put on some decent PR re the best of the purebred dog world here in our own country...Australia. Presently, any such PR is practically non-existent. Leaving a vacuum into which this 'stuff' from the UK rushes in to fill. Yet it has nothing to do with the Australian context.

The thing that strikes me about that well-evidenced info on the Rotti Club of Vic website, is that it could be applied to any size or breed of dog. They comment that to not raise & manage a big strong dog like a Rotti well, is looking for trouble. But all sizes of dogs are capable of doing varying damage. Small dogs with sharp teeth can cause damage to the thinner skins of babies' & young children's faces and eyes. And are on a level with them to do so. Those age groups, by the way, are statistically most vulnerable to dog bites. So the same good advice & info on that Rottie page applies to all size dogs. Yet smaller dogs are amongst the biggest sellers from pet stores and other secondary sources. Where a buyer has no knowledge if the puppy's NOT been well 'hardwired' for human socialisation Yet that base is critical. A bit more knowledge & a bit more research & a bit more effort, will lead to less shocks from dogs suddenly & seriously biting/attacking. Whatever the size or breed or mix.

I should have guessed it. I said I was impressed with the accuracy of the information about dogs & tendency to be aggressive or not....that came from the Rotti Club of Victoria. And also how a Victorian registered Rotti breeder, described on radio how to raise puppies well, with that knowledge in mind. Well, seems the Rotti Club of Victoria has set it all out clearly on their website. IMO, it's a very responsible thing to do & I dips my lid to them : http://www.rottweilerclubofvictoria.com/site/index.php?id=34 I should add that puppy buyers have a vested interest in finding out how the breeder they're buying from raises his/her puppies. This is where the hard-wiring is first laid down. Whatever the breed or mix. And they need to know how to build on that, when they take the puppy home.