mita

Our tibbie girls sleep in medium-sized soft carry crates in the bedroom. With a soft pillow inside & pillow cases that get changed every few days. They love these soft crates as their special place for napping, too. It's so convenient if they have to be looked after in-home, if we're away. They have their bedtime routine down pat. They take themselves to bed in their soft crates. Also we tibbie owners often look after each other dogs (easiest job in the world!). The visiting tibbies bring their soft crates with them, so they have their familiar 'bedroom'. One owner told me that as soon as her tib spotted me coming up the path to collect her, that girl would automatically step inside her 'mobile home'. Another reason my tibs don't sleep on the bed, is because they have long backs & shorter legs. I don't want them injuring their backs by rolling off onto the floor, during the night.

People who use the expression 'suck it up' are showing they have vacuum cleaners for brains.....& think that must be the case for everyone else, too. There's actually a problem to be solved. When you have larger dogs doing totally normal things at play in a dog park where there are smaller dogs, it's a high risk situation. Predictable. Whereas the larger dogs might just bounce off each other, in any kind of rumble....from playful to bossy....the small dogs are prone to injury from the impact. Which is why I thoroughly approve of the Brisbane City Council setting aside particular parks for the smaller dogs. For those who argue that means the small dogs are then robbed of the chance to learn to socialise with bigger dogs... an open-slather dog park is just not condusive to owner controlled, gradual socialisation between a bigger & smaller dog. That CAN be done better elsewhere. It also requires the owners having a common goal & sharing the same ideas about actually doing the socialising. When I walk our Tibbies, on leash, along the walking track, there are a number of large dogs we meet....also on leash. Numbers of times, the owners have spoken to me & we've realised that we both value the opportunity of the varied size dogs, having a controlled meeting (still on leash). Every time, it's gone brilliantly & the owners of the big dogs have thanked me profusely because it's such a rare opportunity. Because of my Tibbies life experience living alongside a Tibetan Mastiff, a German Shepherd & well managed greyhounds, they don't immediately go into a blue funk. (But I would not let this happen in the general melee of a leash-free dog park with owners who don't & can't negotiate controlled meetings between dogs.) Most of the big dog owners acknowledge they understand why owners of small dogs give them a wide berth....because they don't know how well-controlled the big dog is. 'Friends' our Tibbies have made via the controlled situation....are a couple of labradors, a german shepherd, a female doberman, an irish wolfhound...& the loveliest natured, most confident, well managed huge Rottie, named Robbie.

Yes, it's good that the Brisbane Council has provided some divided dog parks, for small & bigger. It's not just a case of fault-finding, it's the imbalance in size among strange dogs, even in the the most reasonable of play. My small tibbies were brought up with large dogs....a Tibetan Mastiff, a German Shepherd...& actually prefer them to small, more twittery dogs. And they play/interact happily & safely with the greyhound next door. BUT they're better off being in a dog park with strange dogs of around their own size, so there's no problem even from the most innocent of big dog 'force'. It even applies in the human world. One of the top rugby-playing private schools in Brisbane has jacked up because some of the rival school rugby teams are offering sport scholarships to giants of lads outside the normal age-size range. So they're arguing for a more even distribution of weight & size among schoolboy teams. Without that, even the usual collisions & tackles can become lethal. The dissenting school has said it will refuse to field a rugby team, if this problem isn't addressed.

I'm glad to see another post pointing out that both options...adopting from a good registered breeder, and adopting from a reputable rescue/shelter....contribute to lessening the homeless dog problem. The first by prevention (& research backs that), and the second by direct adoption. So no reason to feel guilty.

DD, you've spelled out the reason why we've always had 2 dogs. They are so supportive of each other....& it's easier when they're left home alone. We have an only dog of the same breed next door. She joins in, coming over to play once a day, & waiting at the fenceline each morning for nose-rubbing & tail-wagging to start the day. But, Teal, you've set out a lot of reasons why you hesitate to rush in & get a 2nd dog. All valid! So I can only say good on you for thinking it thro' so carefully & best wishes with making a decision.

Our North-West News free paper, wrote an editorial saying they'd placed a link on their website to the RSPCA Qld gallery of Dogs for Adoption. And reported they'd been amazed at the high number of hits. Good to see a newspaper getting behind rescue dogs. And to be even-handed, they also included an article about the benefits of adopting from a greyhound group.

I agree with both Poodlefan's & Showdog's posts. Absolutely.

I was talking to the lady from Cavalier Rescue Qld, this morning. The RSPCA has let her take for fostering & rehoming a lovely, sweet-natured Tibetan Spaniel X Cavalier boy from the Wondai group. He looks like a Tibbie with the ruby colour of the Cav & favours the Tibbie in looks and nature. Bit shy & reserved (but tibbies always are while they 'think out' a new person), very gentle (calmly lets foster-carer cut knots from ear & tail). About 18 months old, so room to learn in a new life in a real home. Desexed 3 days ago....& fine. Cav Rescue Qld would like to adopt him to a home with an understanding woman or women. Or a gentle man. Enquiries: [email protected] (PM for phone). Photo available.

I know the problem. We have a big mango tree in the backyard. Fortunately, our little dogs sleep inside. But going outside at night, during the fruiting period, we hear & see the big Swooooosh of fruit bats. Also every morning, I have to pick up lovely, lovely mangoes that they've taken just one bite out of! Biggest problem here, is that their faeces get dropped on everything. Any washing on the line, the driveway & fences.

Totally agree with you on this. I also see dogs tied up outside our local shopping centre....many of them stressed because their owner is not in sight. Children of all ages passing by & some making a bee-line to 'pat the dog'. Yes, perfect conditions for an incident. Also agree about the need to keep emphasising 'deed not breed'. On the same day this incident happened where a 'staffie' bit a child, thousands of staffies didn't bite a child....& are likely to never do so. When there's a car accident, people don't shriek....'Ford (or Mazda or Toyota), again! Ban them!'. No, the police have an Accident Investigation Unit which examines the incident under 3 headings....the car (no, not the make, but the specific features of that car), the road conditions, and driver behaviour. There ought to be a similar type of protocol for looking at incidents relating to dogs....by people trained in the issues.

A lot of good points in your post, Mystiqview. It'd make a good base for an article.

Agree with all said, so far. Just adding that by getting a purebred dog from a responsible breeder, you'll be preventing dog dumping. Research has found that puppies raised & homed by registered breeders are less likely to go on to have the kinds of problems that get dogs dumped. RSPCA Qld's February newsletter has picked up this point. As well as encouraging people to consider adopting a temperament-tested shelter dog (or one from a reputable rescue), they also recommended going to a good breeder for a purebred dog. BOTH options help dogs, in some way. First option supports getting a dog directly out of shelter situation, the second prevents dogs getting there. And BOTH options will likely provide a good pet.

Mystique, sorry to hear of your dogs' stomach upset after being fed something different at the kennels....& the fang mark on the ear. We'll have to differ on this one. We've used that kennels many times & all went very well. Same with our friends' big Norwegian Forest cat.

Fair point, puggerup. But maybe it depends on the viewer. I didn't see the original segment. But when it was shown again on the 7 PM Report (for its funny value), I then saw it. And heard about the context of the uncontrolled roaming dogs.

I like that they'll also be using the RSPCA mobile desexing unit to deal with the smaller dogs, directly from their foster-home. I also like the way efforts will be made to rehome the dogs directly from their foster-home. I'm wondering if an arrangement has been made with local vets to remove stitches (if not already covered by the mobile van). Logan Pound very sensibly does that. Good idea in that it introduces the new owner & pet to their nearest vet.

Women prisoners here in Qld looked after pregnant cats for the AWL, saw them thro' the birth of the kittens & raised them. Also U of Q program overviews assistance dogs being trained by prisoners....& they've said one day they'd like to place with prisoners, dogs from a shelter like RSPCA, which need social rehabilitation & training. Programs like these are brilliant. Proven to help the prisoners enormously as well as the dogs.

Thanks for that info, Kissindra.

I agree with Souff. In an entertaining way, he's brought attention to the fact that problems like this wouldn't exist, if owners would only keep their dogs confined on their property. And if only councils would follow up & insist on compliance, when frequent complaints are being made. I loved his wife's face. She seemed quite unmoved by the sudden burst of barking in her ear.

Don't know about the OP. But we were happy to leave our shelties there. It'd be the only place where I'd leave our tibbies. And no payment of a million dollars changed hands. (If we're talking about the same place, that is.) Back O/T. I also agree that an owner is the best judge of their own dogs' behaviours.

People used to go to our vet's, with their 2 malamutes (around same age). One of them was huge...& would fit the description Bub gave. The other was smaller & not as fluffy. The big fella was a darling.....always smiling, very friendly & without a mean bone in his body. His owners told us he was teased mercilessly by the little cat next door! The smaller one had a more reserved nature.

SG, I've seen what you've described. When our 2 shelties used to stay in a certain kennels in our area, they'd walk away with the co-manager.....wagging their tails like mad. And never looking back at their family! When we'd go to pick them up & be in the office paying the bill....our red sheltie girl would be sitting on the steps with that man, leaning against him as dogs do with someone they really like. Another friend used to take her big Norwegian Forest cat to the same kennels. He'd grumble all the way in the car. But as soon as he spotted the gates into the kennels, he'd totally change & start grooming himself with great care, like he was going to visit friends! When they got to the office, the owners would shut windows & doors and let him out of his carry-cage & he'd walk around like he was in his 2nd home.

Makes me want to sneak out tonight & check out the Flogstar. Wonderful tribute.

Maybe there's a plot. The RTA is producing plates containing a secret component that dogs like to chew. So they can do roaring trade in replacement plates. I'm glad everything's come out well.

Thanks for posting it. Some good positive things in that press release. It's well written & assures purebred dog owners there's cooperative efforts with the relevant authorities to find a solution to potential problems. Full marks to Dogs Qld. Reinforces what some DOLers have been urging. Get in & join & support the organisation which is doing something positive.

Long time back I bought a kitten from a petshop....she was extremely young & being kept in filthy conditions. She grew up with all the signs of having been taken from her mother too early. Probably snatched off for selling after first sip from a saucer or nibble at some fish. She grew up hopeless at many regular cat behaviours. We called her Hopeless Kate.....but she lived until she was 17 years of age. Yes, a good point can be made from this. The presentation of helpless little animals in petstores can trigger a sympathy purchase. So what others have already cautioned about that, remains true.