mita

Couldn't be said better. Victoria needs to listen to the experienced & expert registered breeders who know what they're talking about. And prove it, in the dogs they produce. A vet just thoroughly checked out my 2 desexed p/b tibetan spaniel girls today. Both retired show-dogs, bred & raised by breeders who know what they're doing. He had nothing but praise for them. An 11 yr old, with perfect health, not even a mark on her teeth. A nearly 4 yr old, also in perfect health, with ONE tooth that needs a clean. But, most of all, he remarked on how beautifully social these dogs are & their lovely temperaments. 'You don't get better than this!', he said. Take a bow, the breeders who produce dogs like this. This is the proof of good breeding. Nothing to do with just counting dogs' heads & which are, or are not, desexed.

Exactly. Often times we hear of perps that a police dog has grabbed, having a bite mark that gets treatment. A child's skin is not as tough so the same pressure would have caused a bigger wound. Accountability about the child, should go the humans involved. People in the house should have been kept well away from the search, by police officers. And the parents should have kept their child close to them as the search was going on.

Yes, I noticed that, too. Martin cuddled every animal that came into his sight on the Islands of Britain program. And the horse one has been magnificent. I loved how the Bedouin Arab horse trainer had to call Martin away from petting a horse, to get on with the next section of the shoot. Looking forward to the dog program, too. He's a lovely man doing these documentaries as he so obviously loves the animals and is great dealing with people as well.

Or would think "Jeez, that Dobe has a funny bark??" Never thought of that! You're right. ;)

There was a newspaper article (Sydney Morning Herald, I think) about a tourist place in Churchill, Canada, where people can have a go at dog sledding or mushing. Had a photo of the sign which showed the designated area to park your car. Said 'Violators will be peed on.'

Onya. They sound like a lovely pair, used to each others company, so much easier to settle.

More Zou. Having one eye is just one long wink to him. He never stops 'smiling'.

I know of a builder & his wife who own 2 dogs. His dog is a doberman & his wife's is a tibetan spaniel. Purebreds from good breeders who socialise their puppies/dogs beautifully. He reckons it's the best team, ever, not just because the 2 dogs get on fine. But even for security on their property. The tibbie is great at hearing/seeing anything suspicious. Only time it barks. Then the dobe wanders out to take a look (tho' is really a big sweetie). Any stranger up to no good, would then think better of it.

One of the happiest dogs I know has one eye. He's Zou Chai, a tibetan spaniel boy. His human 'dad' has a health problem & says that his Zou has done more for his well-being than any doctor. Zou is loved by everyone who meets him because of his happy, loving personality. He's also great at his breed's 'tibbie singing'. His human 'mum' wrote a poem about him: The Zou One eye with which to see us So very big and brown, You put the other two-eyed dogs To shame, around the town A smile as big as Europe Splits your face from side to side Every time we look at you, You fill our hearts with pride. There's no one else can hold a tune Quite as well as you. With each new song of greeting. Our love for you just grew. We watch you play with others, You're obviously having fun. But when you're tired of all of that You let them know you're done. You know how much we love you No doubt. For sure it's true, But never forget dear Zou Chai, The whole world loves you, too!

t-time, it's that kind of close care from breeders, from the earliest stage, which gives us pet owners the most beautifully socialised dogs.

It really is a tricky question....what makes you bond with a dog and when. We had 2 shelties with totally opposite personalities. Danny was sweet, biddable and so good his nickname was Saint Danny. Shelley, the girl, was a lunatic redhead on 4 legs. As a neighbour said, 'Shelley's so awful, she's loveable!' But i adored them both. Danny, from the first. He was rescued from the streets in an awful condition. Sheltie Club members took 3 1/2 hours to clean him up. All the time, he kept his chin in my hand for support. When finished, the Sheltie Club lady lady said, 'He's bonded with you. Can you find it in your heart to adopt him?' Yes...Danny became my darling. Shelley came from a top breeder, at 7 months, grown too tall for showing. A nervous Nelly at first, because she'd had no experience outside her kennels. So it was a case of gently persuading her that she could walk up steps & along a footpath etc. THEN when she gained confidence, she turned into the opposite. An extrovert redhead who had something to say about everything. She became my favourite lunatic. Tibbie breeders picked out my 4 tibs, saying I was the person they wanted for each. And were they right! Whether the bonding hit at first sight (like my lovely Nina Zena the platinum blonde, looking just like a small golden retriever, walking out of her transport van)....or within a month or so (like my wonderful Gracie, my amazing Angel, and my present Miss Viking, Annie from Sweden)... the bonding was so strong.

Agree. So sorry this awful thing happened to your dog & to you. Thanks to an irresponsible & totally useless dog owner. People can be held responsible, under the law, for being in charge of all sorts of things that are likely to cause harm. Pity this can't be extended to dog owners who are 'in charge' of a dog that they evidently can't or won't control. So there'd be a 'dangerous dog owner', not just a 'dangerous' dog.

I hope they do some thinking, prior to doing so. The ailments & conditions mentioned in the Corgi health prevention saga are not confined to Corgis. Anyone notice that other breeds, & dare I say it, mixed breeds, also have teeth & eyes...and, therefore, are vulnerable to associated problems. Maybe, one day, they'll breed a dog that has no body parts at all & no genes.

I think Gert is an inspiration to us all. You can't keep a good woman down, is her motto.

My sweet & pretty tibbie girl, Angel, chewed up two books owned by the local library, while home alone. First one, was chewed all around the edges. And I knew why. I'd read the book, so it strongly had the scent from my hands on it. And bored dogs will 'go' for something like that. Socks, shoes etc. So I gave myself a whack for leaving the book within her reach. But I had to go to the Library with the mangled book & 'fess up that my dog, Angel, ate it. Librarian fell about laughing. She said, 'Your dog can read!" 'Huh?' She pointed to the title. It was 'Epitaph for an Angel'. I had to hand over the replacement price of the book. From then on, I carefully put books out of Angel's reach. One day, I forgot. Angel made a chewy meal of another Library book. Back I went with the mangled mess to the same librarian. She fell about laughing, again. She said,'I think your dog is trying to ask you for something. Look at the title.' It was 'What Terrorists Want.' Once again I had to pay $40+ to replace the book. I became paranoid about putting books up high. And, from then on, I gave Angel a soft toy that I'd rubbed all over with my hands, so she had something legit to chew, when home alone. Here's the 'terrorist' Angel:

We had 2 shelties, Danny ( a rescue), who was one of the quietest, sweetest dogs we've ever owned. Never a peep out of him. BUT, Shelley, our gorgeous p/b was nicknamed The Mouth From the South (which says it all ). I used to think we should have a big pole in the back yard with an audio tape that said, 'Shut up, Shelley!' every 2 minutes. She didn't just bark AT anything (she was kept away from the front yard with any passing parade outside), she barked to give her opinion on most things. Like, our neighbour said she was the only dog he'd met that was a Greenie. Whenever he'd start to trim a bush or cut limbs from trees, Shelley would poke her head around the deck steps and bark/complain. He was actually very fond of her & she'd usually race over for pats. But she had some strong objection to anything in the environment being changed, especially greenery. On the other hand, Shelley was brilliant at TELLING us that something was not as it usually was. Like, the cat was sitting in a wrong place. She was a Working Dog whose talent was dobbing... by barking to tell us to come fix something (like, get the damn cat out of the laundry basket!) Apart from that, we adored our Shelties. Danny, the quiet one, was truly a heart dog. And Shelley was a red-haired, loveable lunatic in the manner of Lucille Ball.

This was a list of ideas to pick from that someone passed on to me ages ago re building confidence in a shy or under-confident dog. I reckon the last tip might be helpful, about using another dog or pup as company for play dates or as a support prop when going out into new places: * 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 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.

Tapua, I think you are are wonderful in what you're doing for Andrew. Dimples/Saint looks gorgeous, a big handsome boy! You are so right about our brave & competent men & women in Afghanistan. They're in truly awful circumstances, working in one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. And I just heard on this morning's early news that there's been another 'incident' with no details available publicly yet, as family is presently being informed. A forest of candles should be lit for these Australians...and for Saint's 'dad', Andrew, in particular. May Andrew stay safe & wouldn't it be great if we could meet him & his lab, here on DOL when he comes home safely in October. That is such a lovely thought that Dimples will be known as Saint after his late colleague & his explosives detector dog, Herbie (Herbie was an -ex rescue dog, recruited from Peninsula Animal Aid in Qld). Would you please pass on our very warmest wishes to him?

Compared with what? By contrast, studies conducted in northern europe made comparison across purebreds and mixed breeds. What's important is to establish the incidence of conditions across the general dog and cat populations. Yes, I remember an appeal going out from these folk at Sydney University asking for donations to fund the project. I sure wouldn't 'donate'. Prevalence is the number of individuals affected by a disease in a given time period ie. how common is the disease. Incidence is the risk of developing a disease in a given time period ie. what is my chance of getting cancer in the next 2 years Collecting incidence data like you suggest would involve longitudinal studies over a long period of time to assess the number of new cases that develop. I thought that the inclusion of crossbred information was discussed at the Building better dogs seminar in Melbourne and it had been agreed that it would be included. The problem with crossbreed data is that it is difficult to confirm what breeds went into the mix so it's hard to see if a particular cross is mor or less healthy than it's respective parent breeeds. Generalisations can still be made though as were done in the northern European studies. Prevalence studies which include only pure-breeds, can lead to conclusions which are THEN interpreted as being comparative We also need incidence studies, however more time and resource demanding they are, because they bring up the kind of data that many people mistakenly believe that the prevalence studies do. You're certainly correct about the problems with crossbreed data. The fact that pedigree breeding permits scientifically sound study of purebreds, leaves purebred dogs in the spotlight for scrutiny. And public perception follows... that the results of such scrutiny are comparison-based with the total dog population.

Compared with what? By contrast, studies conducted in northern europe made comparison across purebreds and mixed breeds. What's important is to establish the incidence of conditions across the general dog and cat populations. Yes, I remember an appeal going out from these folk at Sydney University asking for donations to fund the project. I sure wouldn't 'donate'.

The UQ Adoptions dogs & cats are listed on PetRescue. Here's the current listing below. You're right, the old centre where the pets were kept & could be viewed, was at the Centre for Companion Animal Health at the St Lucia, Brisbane, Campus of UQ. But I see now it's the Clinical Studies place up at the Gatton campus. http://www.petrescue.com.au/search_by_member/?member=443 You're also right that the UQ adoption pets are great. We adopted a puss from there a while back. UQ was excellent in their screening & matching. We wanted a puss that would be fine with our tibetan spaniel girls. Their slightly bulgy eyes are a bit vulnerable to any cat's claw swipes. They helped us pick a cat that turned out to be brilliant. Our Sarah believes & behaves as if she's another tibbie. Right from the first day she came home. Needless to say, the vet work is tops on these pets. And so is the socialisation. No wonder our Sarah is so good. Isn't there some way these pets can be kept on the St Lucia campus or got closer to Brisbane? They're too good to miss & they really deserve good homes, too.

Just running the idea past you. Would you consider offering to pay something for Daisy that might get them moving to make a decision?

And that law is still in place. The one that first says dogs that are cruelly treated must be observed to be in a state of distress or danger. But later says 'things' can be taken away & examined for evidence. And, according to this law, 'things' can be dogs or any animals. So, strictly speaking, in Victoria your dog, being a 'thing' can be seized because it's a 'thing'. In this current debate, go the Greens.

New Kinglake Ranges community radiostation - 97.1FM ABC Radio launched the new community radio station 97.1FM ABC KinglakeRanges for our local communities on Friday 13 March, with a special live broadcastby John Faine. ABC Kinglake Ranges will form part of the community's rebuildingand recovery process, broadcasting news and information to an area includingKinglake, Kinglake West and the surrounding towns of Toolangi, Dixon's Creek,Flowerdale and Strathewen. The ABC has supported a great existing local initiative which has seen theinstallation of a local broadcast studio at the Kinglake Ranges NeighbourhoodHouse. The plan is for the ABC to provide training and resources to set up apermanent local community radio station, and after three to six months step backand hand the running of the station over to the community .The station will offer a daily Breakfast Program, presented by Simon Rogers,and 97.1 Kinglake Ranges FM will operate Monday to Friday from 6am - 11pm,and then stream the regular ABC 774 broadcast at other times, interspaced withrepeats of local news and interviews (including the 0745 State news and AM at0800). Simon presents Saturday Breakfast from Bendigo and played a vital rolebringing listeners fire threat updates across the evening and overnight during thebushfire crisis. Listeners are invited to call in, and to also utilise the new station's greatwebsite www.abc.net.au/victoria/kinglake-3763

Is it possible to get a request for urgent help broadcast over a radio station that serves the area...or a Melbourne radio station, too. Other owners of horses, ponies, donkeys & chooks might be happy to donate. Or just general members of the public.