mita

Good on you for pointing out that individual submissions can count. Or if a group want to co-sign a common statement.

Thank you for this informative post. I have no problem with reasonable guidelines about companion animals. But, as you say, it's working out details that will make it 'reasonable' or not. Good to see PF's post that Dogs ACT is consulting/negotiating. On the face of it, it looks rather similar, overall, to the licensing-system adopted in the pilot project on Qld's Gold Coast. That was designed by stakeholders in a working party...state & local government, dog & cat registering bodies, & welfare groups. I wonder if there'll be clarification about when a dog is old enough to be safely desexed? Certainly UQ research has shown that the age can be earlier than the traditional, for cats. But they make the point, that didn't just translate to dogs. I can't see moves like this, as being the start of the end of pet dogs. There's strong support for the importance of pets in Australians' lives written in at the very beginning of the Aus Gov's position paper on animal welfare. It's acknowledged that there are extreme views, but the paper soundly rejects them in Australian society.

The Qld law which allows RSPCA intervention, is a relatively new one, so includes some emphasis on a review/appeals structure. In line with current public expectations. The final process is via an independent tribunal & that is written into the law. I already posted about that & my memory is that you, JB, responded. I don't know the laws & their accountability structures in other states.

Lovely girl that she is! She's really enjoying her forever home. So good her appetite is hearty. The flesh will come back to those ribs! When our elderly sheltie went gradually blind, I used to leave something on his day bed that strongly had my scent on it. Update pics will always be welcome.

Decently put. Whatever the human rights & wrongs, it's to be hoped that the current animals will be well cared for & good homes found.

You're right, Aidan. And well said. Extremists, by definition, are few in number. If they weren't, they wouldn't be extremists.

The still glamorous blonde, Cherry, has her tibetan spaniel trait in spades. They stay young- looking well into their senior years. Says this on the international breeders' Tibbie Net: Tibbies are renowned for living to a healthy, old age - Cherry sure is an amazing example. She looks as fresh as a puppy. My girl, Nina Zena is one year behind Cherry at 11 years. People think she's around the age as her 'sister', Annie, who's 4 +yrs. Happy birthday, Cherry!

I liked a lot of your post, ML. Re, that bit: A couple of councils in Central Qld provide funding for lower-income people to get their pets desexed at lower cost. Also I think the AWL vet clinics give consideration to people who can't afford full costs. UQ research (in association with RSPCA) found that kittens can be desexed earlier than had been traditional. Good thing in that cats have the worst stats for becoming homeless & not rehomed. But the same report said that the training to do earlier desexing wasn't in most vet programs at the moment. They made the point that earlier- than- traditional desexing does not apply to dogs. My position is that any dog or cat kept totally for the purpose of being a pet, should be desexed. One of the top experienced breeders, in my breed of interest, desexes all her puppies, destined for totally pet homes, before adoption. I have the strong feeling, tho'...& research would support me..that the dumping problem is not associated with the 'products' of breeders like this, anyway. It was unregistered breeders who came out poorly in the Qld research....& specially so, for producing numbers of accidental litters. There needs to be a way to target the sources from which problems tend to flow on, along the line & into pounds/shelters. Targeting the people who are already actually preventing problems would be counter-productive.

Yes, what Stormie said about sticking to what the vet hospital said re diet. More you add, more chances something will irritate. We had a sheltie that developed pancreatitis & the way you described your doggie as being so down and flat and obviously in pain, was always the sign an attack was starting. He'd needed doses of cortisone for a skin allergy over a number of years. Apparently, one side effect is that it can bring on pancreatitis. So check that out, for accuracy, with the vet hospital. One time, he spent 3 weeks in hospital & as the vet was checking him out of the Uni Clinic, he threw up all over her shoe. So it was back into hospital. In the end, I found the way to manage it was strictly diet & no fatty foods.

Our sheltie boy used to go behind the TV to try to find the dog that was barking or howling on the TV. My present tibbie girl doesn't watch TV, but she watches the 2 chooks next door. They roam freely in their vegetable garden & Annie lies with her feet up at the fence, just watching them for hours. We call it Annie's Reality TV!

Some people don't have to be in Heaven, to be in Heaven. I can't imagine anything more heavenly than to have a sea of Collies beside the bed....with this glorious girl in the middle. Bless you for caring for her. You've got a gem! When my tib had a bad trot after a food intolerance recently, the (vet approved) foods that stuck to her ribs, were lightly cooked chicken breast, basmati rice, Farex baby plain rice cereal (has iron, Vit C & antioxidants in it) mixed with cooked sweet potato (vet said it's a highly nutritious staple) omelets, tuna in springwater & yoghurt. With a sprinkling of physillium husk for a healthy ride thro'. With this, she held her normal weight against the odds.

A voice from the extreme left re animal rights & of US origin. (Note use of word 'ranching'). It'd also be possible to find the manifesto of the far right re position of animals...US origin. There is an Australian Government position paper re animal welfare. And it starts off with the injunction that extreme positions exist & that they are not accepted. The voice of the majority moderate mainstream.

Yes, making it clear you have pics, is a great deterrent to treating such an incident as a joke or an excuse to abuse you. The right is on your side. You were in a public place, dogs are not allowed to be off-leash in a public place. There's provision in the newer Qld laws to cover situations where dogs just rush you to cause considerable fear. Not a bad thing. It must have been terrifying for you....with so many dogs coming at you. I'd report it. In the circumstances you've described, I'd bet it wouldn't be the first report.

Yep, Woof, one of the reasons I used to take our pets to the UQ vet clinic, was because they then contributed to the vet training program...and were under the supervision of excellent vets. From across the campus where we trained students in a child-related specialty, I knew how important it was for them to actually work with real difficulties under clinical supervision. The rule of thumb was that these children got the best of care, ethically & practically. My experience was the same for how the pets were treated in the vet school clinic. I agree about the ignorant attitude that's still out there...about ex-pound animals. The first day I walked into the the uni's cats for adoption playroom, I was gobsmacked. Here were 30 cats that'd been rescued from the pound & kept for a year at UQ....& they were the most healthy, gorgeous, well socialised bunch of pusses I'd seen. The staff member said they had a theory. Trusting cats with good attitudes, were likelier to get trapped or picked up & taken to the pound. The real strays were far more cunning. So many of them, had probably had a reasonable pet life before the pound. Then, in their year at the uni, they got the best of everything....from vet care, to loads of attention from people. And all this showed! I'm slightly more a dog person than a cat person, but I could've taken home every one of those 30 cats. A match was made easier, tho', because the staff had such a handle of each puss's personality. They'd even been rated for how comfortable they were with a dog around. Obviously that river 949 bloke had never been there! Or met an ex-UQ cat or dog. By the way, the recent newsletter from the UQ companion animal centre told how a little bunch of baby kittens had been found toddling around the campus. They'd been taken in, given all vet care & were very busy being well socialised with loads of attention, so they can be adopted out.

And each time that happens, it further turns into a good habit.

Yes, amazing how this thread is still bleating on & I haven't seen one response to helping the ex-pound dogs & cats, available for adoption from UQ vet school, find a new home. They've had all their vet work done there....like desexing etc. And they wake up, ready to live in the best of circumstances, until adopted. Hint, hint, if this process is highlighted & supported, then more ex-pound animals live to see a better day.

The neuroscience doesn't make it any simpler to predict! I agree though, my point was only to validate Kelpie-i's perspective from another angle. Behavioural science had evidence for this long before neuroscience, but neuroscience has filled a lot of the gaps. The two disciplines are working very nicely together, the paper I linked to is a good example. Sorry, OT. Thanks for that reference. I went & read it. There's a v. good recent book that unpacks the complexities behind behaviour (with all the conflicting evidence). Especially the fact that everyone is born with a biologically based temperamental bias. BUT how that pans out as we grow depends on a whole range of environmental factors. So the environment can powerfully distort the effect of genes. (General principles wouldn't be too astray re dogs, too. ) The Temperamental Thread: How genes, culture, time and luck make us who we are. Jerome Kagan (emeritus professor of psychology, Harvard).

OT, sorry, too. I'm late getting back because I went off to read the interesting paper Aidan referred us to. (Thanks for that!) I taught at a university, in the social & behavioral sciences area. Animal ethology can be part of a Psych Degree. A good idea is to look at what the various universities offer. I'm more familiar with the University of Qld. There used to be a strong animal behaviour strand over in their vet school (no! I'm not suggesting you enrol in vet science!). Years ago, I once slunk over there with our nutty (but adored) sheltie to have a session with one of their animal behaviorists (who was doing a PhD, I think, under Dr Judith Blackshaw who was a real authority in the area). As the session went on, I found myself frequently saying...'Yes, that's the same principle we teach for dealing with children!'. We both finished up saying that we ought to swap places to give a lecture! Back to serious On Topic: By sheer luck I found the entire chapter from Dr Judith Blackshaw's book, Notes on Some Topics in Applied Animal Behaviour. She's retired. & it says elsewhere that this chapter was updated in 2003 by Paul McGreevy, Uni of Sydney. There'd still be lots of research since then (& differences of opinions!). But you might find the section on Dealing with Problems of Dog/Dog Agression of some interest. There's some retraining strategies. [/i] http://www.animalbehaviour.net/JudithKBlac...w/Chapter7b.htm

Me, too. It was one of those posts that I regard as a 'keeper' to squirrel away for future reference. The key issues were spot on & a compelling case made. Aidan, I don't want to be critical of your point about learning from neuroscience. Because I totally agree it's an area with a lot to offer. But, quite rightly, researchers in neuroscience make the point that caution is needed in translating their findings into behaviours. Behaviours, animal & human, are mediated by a myriad of other factors, too. All of which make actual, individual behaviour, not a simple matter to predict. I liked the way Kelpie-i made the case more on risk-management.

I own a short-nosed breed & that means the dogs can't rid themselves of body-heat as efficiently as longer-nosed dogs. (Dogs don't perspire like humans do, but have to regulate body-heat via panting.) So any shorter walks are better for them. But we also do longer walks by doing a version of the Scouts' Pace. The tibs walk one streetlight length, then get carried one streetlight length. Great exercise for us humans. Other walkers flash by with weights on their arms. We struggle by with tibbies under our arms. Cheek of said tibbies, they grunt with the exertion of it all....while being carried. :rolleyes: As they're very social as well, just a walk down the street to the newsagency or post-box, also sends them into raptures. Because people talk to them.

It can be amazing what the right training strategies & time, can do for an underconfident dog. That's a good idea about looking for someone experienced with this type of situation. You may find some of the experienced rescuers have worked with dogs like this, in foster-care. So maybe....asking on the Rescue Forum, too. Long time back, we were given a list of tips to help a shy, under-confident small dog that was fostered, then adopted. Some of these may be applicable for your girl....or variations. Selected ones helped the small dog: * Encourge her to do chasey games, when a treat or toy is tied at the end of a string. And she's encouraged to chase it. Apparently that helps the submissive dog to 'feel' & act more dominantly. * Try to protect the dog's personal space. Do not let strangers overwhelm him, etc. You may not be aware of a passersby actually petting the dog. It is amazing what really goes on. Do not allow people (even family members) to pet the dog on the top of the head or behind his ears. Instead, pat and scratch the dog on his chest and neck. This is much less threatening to a dog. * Teach the dog how to play with you. Entice the dog for a game of chase, with the dog chasing you. If he won't chase you while you're running, try crawling, yes really. Crawl on the floor on all fours away from him, then lie down and roll. Cover your face and make high-pitched whimpering noises. This should entice the dog to come over to you. This is success, praise the dog and then walk away and try it again later. * If the dog is scared of people, instruct people to sit down with their backs facing the dog. Then, hold out a their hand (behind them) for the dog with a food treat in it. Gradually, the person can turn so that they are sideways, and then facing the dog. Avoid eye-contact until the dog is no longer scared of this particular person. * Do not stroke a scared dog and say "It's OK." This is perceived as praise by the dog and will make it more likely that the dog will repeat his fear again next time. Instead, give robust pats on the sides and act happy, pretend there is nothing to be scared about, and if at all possible, remove him from the frightful situation. * Yawning is a calming signal for dogs. When your dog is nervous or unsure of a situation or person, you (and that person) should sit down by your dog, turn your head and focus slightly away from the dog, and yawn continually. I am not talking about 30 seconds of yawning, rather 3-30 minutes of consistent, passive yawning. Try it, over time it should make your dog more comfortable. * It is important to avoid eye-contact, especially if the dog is used to running away or submissive peeing. When you are able to be close to the dog, kneel or sit down so you are on his level and turn your head away from the dog and lick your lips. Continue doing this until the dog either ceases being nervous, or brings their face closer to yours in a gesture of friendship. If/when this occurs, praise the dog's efforts with kind words and a gentle chest rub, however still avoid eye-contact. Whenever you are close to a scared or submissive dog, it is important to avoid eye-contact so the dog will not feel threatened in any way. * If she's food oriented give visitors/family members some little treats to hold in their hands & occasionally drop next to her as they walk by. * Do not over-stimulate or push the dog too far to fast. Let the dog regulate how close he can get to other people, places and things. If you push a scared dog too far, you will create a neurosis that will be more difficult to treat. * If the dog is scared of human contact, even from you, pet the dog unexpectedly as you walk by. Do it quickly and friendly, and then keep walking. The dog will probably be scared and surprised, for if he knew you were going to pet him, he would've run away and not allowed it. By sneaking in friendly petting with no consequences (you simply walk away) the dog will learn that being touched is not a bad thing. * Being scared is very stressful. Exercise is one of the most beneficial ways to relieve stress, so make sure your dog gets plenty of it. If your dog likes other dogs (if you don't know, find out) I strongly recommend that you find a dog for him to play with on a weekly basis (more often, even better). Canine companionship is very important to dogs, and especially a dog that does not trust many humans, another canine can relieve more stress than anything else. Be sure to allow the dogs to romp around and play unrestricted (except for a fence) until they tire out. This may be one of the best therapies that you can give a shy dog.

As suggested previously, put the energy into helping rehome the gorgeous ex-pound dogs & cats for adoption from the University of Qld. Here's a cracker of a little dog. Griffin X, called Lois. I think she's got amazing looks. With her comes all the good things UQ puts in...best of vet care (desexing, vaccination, worming etc), the best of socialisation (loads of UQ 'friends' to play with), & the best of training (yep, Lois has lessons). She'll be available mid-December. I think UQ would do interstate adoption: http://www.petrescue.com.au/view/92366

Your use of 'trial' fitted with your previous post about doing some action research on this dog's issues. Neatly described, too. I've found the same thing myself, some words have a technical meaning in research or scholarship, that's not quite the same as in everyday- life contexts.

This Qld Minister & the MP deserve a pat on the back for this initiative. The Biosecurity Qld's Help an Animal Smile program is ongoing & brilliant. Tho' aimed at children, the messages are for everyone. Their Senior Inspector, Greg Horrocks, has 2 beautifully trained dogs, named Breeze & Floyd, that he takes around Qld to meet children in schools so they can learn to treat animals with respect. At the last Brisbane 'Ekka, Greg and his dogs, delivered the 'care' message to the general public. And were a great hit! There's also great activities for children on the website. http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/animalwelfare/11594.html The program is accredited by Education Qld. Here's the 5 Things That Make an Animal Smile: You can’t switch animals off Animals need you to care for them every day - not just on the days that you want to care for them. You need to spend time caring for animals Different kinds of animals need to be cared for in different ways. It's important to learn how to care for your animal. Animals need a special place to live It's important to find out what kind of special place and special needs each kind of animal requires to stay happy, healthy and smiling. Animals need the right kind of food Find out what foods are good and bad for your animals, and make sure they get the right kind of food. Animals like to keep healthy It’s important to give your animals all their vaccinations and other necessary treatments to keep them healthy and prevent them getting sick. Some animals also need plenty of exercise. Here's Smiley Murphy who was the previous Qld Dpt of PI & F's Animal Welfare Dog, with Inspector Greg.

Hopefully, you'll get some recommendations posted by people who live in the Rockhampton area. Failing that, there's a Rockhampton Kennel Club affiliated with Dogs Qld, with the contact details listed on their website. Maybe you could get some tips there: Rockhampton Kennel Club Inc (Central Zone 2 Club) Address: P O Box 8593, Allenstown, 4700. Contact: Mrs J Sweeney. Phone: (07) 4933 3399. Email: [email protected].