mita

We're always talking about the need for education re responsible & knowledgeable pet care. A Brisbane pet store that won't selll commercial puppies & kittens, is now providing practical education re pets during 2010. It already provides space & facilities for rehoming AWL Qld cats & dogs (with their adoption procedures). Entry fee will be donated to AWL. And people will get a gift voucher to spend at the store. Location is Mitchelton, which is a north-western suburb of Brisbane. I'd like to see purebred information/education in stores like this, too. Education Series Ø 6.30-7.30pm last Wednesday of the month Ø $5/person (profits donated to Animal Welfare League) Ø All attendees* receive a $10 gift voucher to spend at Pet Headquarters *attendees that have paid January 27th – Grooming (tools, nail clipping, ear cleaning, shampoos, muzzle acceptance) February 24th – Health Care (vaccinations, fleas, worms, heartworm, ticks) March 31st – Nutrition (premium vs supermarket vs natural, ‘fussy’ eaters) April 28th – Natural Therapies May 26th – Pocket Pets (rats, mice, guinea pigs, hermit crabs) June 30th – Backyard fun for the home alone dog July 28th – Aquarium Setup (equipment, initial setup) August 25th– Aquarium Maintenance (water changes, medications) September 29th – Reptiles October 27th – Birds (nail clipping, wing clipping, enrichment, cage size, exercise) November 24th – Which pet is right for us? BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL 33 Blackwood St Mitchelton Q PH 3354 1966

Exactly! Going along with ignoring the substantial work on breeding, is a view that purebred dogs are almost a different species from mixed breed dogs. The consequence is that mixed breed dogs don't have to be investigated re genetic & health problems. Much less screened. (Not the view of rigorous researchers, like Jerold Bell & others, of course.) So the public is left with an impression that all must be supremely well with mixed breeds. That's one heartbeat away from taking as a 'fact' that mixed breed dogs are superior in health. Now, that is relevant because this same UK bandwagon talks about the power of consumer desire driving it along. Leading to a likely conclusion that it's in the public good to produce designed, mixed breed dogs. Enter marketing & advertising. It's not only some general 'animal rights' influence behind this bandwagon, there's also economics.

The quoted comment, 'The world has woken up' speaks volumes about extent of the speaker's knowledge of what's already in existence. I've mentioned before that this bandwagon stirred up in the UK with an alliance with someone from Sydney University....seems to leave out past, present & continuing work from US sources. (And even Denmark.) Which could make it, from an Australian perspective, narrow, & not strongly related to circumstances here. For drawing on research, Australia has always been in an excellent position to draw on work from both the UK/Europe AND the US. Just look at the profiles of some US (& one UK) located people who work in areas relating to breeding health. First is Tufts Uni's Jerold Bell, whose excellent paper on HD, I've already posted about. Note that a couple of these researchers/educators, are involved in p/b dog breeding themselves. Dr Bell, with gordon setters. Dr Johnson, with irish terriers. Far from being an indication of bias, it's an indication of first-hand experience with the scope & range of breeding practices (for good & ill). http://www.irishdogs.ie/breeders/Developin...hy_Breeding.htm Of course, a data collection registry via appropriate software, is a good idea. But what's more important is the rationale on which it would be based.... And that's the area which needs a great deal more work. Any public funding, in this country, should depend on the project getting independent scaling from independent experts.

I have one that came from K-Mart. Small in size & folds down even smaller. Whenever I've loaned my big oversize crate to a rescue, for putting on a display, I've given them the trolley, too.

I agree. Especially showing them the consequences. Like the huge number of small fluffies that Rescues like Monika's have to rescue.

Great to read something positive. And it's good to write a follow-up letter to the editor, giving the paper kudos for publishing the article.

Sounds like a good idea. Why only to Year 2? Maybe they're starting at the bottom & will be working up the school levels, producing age-appropriate material.

Maltese come from Malta & the Shih Tzu from the East. So tell them they're breeding little catholic-buddhists. Some of those churches are a bit funny about both those. Seriously, what NicGSDlover said, makes sense. About the need, via their biblical belief, to care for animals not exploit them. So write a note to the pastor & congregation, pointing out why breeding/raising/selling DDs for gain is a form of exploitation.

Do two small dogs equal one medium dog? For similar reasons to yours... a strange way of going jogging with the 2 tibbie girls has been found, at our place. You know how you pass those high-techie joggers who have weights on their arms? OK, we have a tibbie, under each arm. Who make grunting noises like the female tennis players giving their muscles all they've got. Except it's our muscles. I wish you luck.

Agree with you, BB. So much depends on the dog. For a long time (& working long hours) we had a little mixed-bred rescued dog (sort of poodleXtibbie). She was rather cat-like. Loved to snooze away the day in the house. The house with all the familiar scents of her owners, was like her secure doggie cave. Set-up counts, too. She had doggie doors out onto a weather-proof verandah deck, with another doggie door down to a secure little courtyard, for going to the toot. But we later got a sheltie who hated being left alone to the point of separation anxiety. But with training guidelines from a behaviorist & the added company of a calm little rescued sheltie, she eventually was happy in the same circumstances. So I'd say, depends on the dog & the set-up.

I think there's your answer. Your wish (& your experience) is in owning desexed pets. So I think it's best for you to say 'no' to the breeder's proposition. Other breeders will have dogs they'll retire to you as desexed pets. I'm presently getting one, because my wish & experience is the same as yours. The position might be different if the new owner had associations/experiences/interests with the breeding/show world... where these kind of arrangements are sometimes set up.

Lottie has beauty & brains. Couldn't have picked a cooler spot on a hot sticky Brissie day.

Or a fantasy place where only Stepford Dogs are allowed. Anyone remember the Stepford Wives novel & movie.....where ideal, but robot, wives were produced.

Biddy (short for Bridget) Shelley (because she was a sheltie) Grandma (she became so elderly she gave up her name 'Tessa') Angel ( a golden tibbie that looked like an angel). Gracie (a platinum blonde tibbe, like Grace Kelly) NinaZena (call name Zena from her pedigree, Zena Warrior Princess. But she's gentle, so 'NinaZena[. Annie (soon to come. Born in Sweden & called Golden Annie from Sweden, which must be said with Swedish accent)

I agree, sandgrubber. Ignores context completely. Also agree with jimmay about the 'suspected threat' because of 'size or breed'. That's the stuff of madness...a large dog or a Rotti would only have to be thought to be looking sideways at someone, to be carted off to the hangman. Any blunt law which could arise from this, would not so much ensure public safety, as engender fear and loathing about certain breeds & sizes of dogs. There's a large, evidence & experience based pool of knowledge about dog aggression, dog bites & dog attacks. Not a shred of that is reflected in the survey's questions. Go tell 'em!

I know a great, experienced woman vet that I'd trust any pet's life to. Trouble is she's geographically impossible in this case....being at The Gap which borders on the northern suburbs of Brisbane. Only thing I can think of, would be if this vet knows of someone like herself up in the Durack area. She'd be understanding of an older lady because she often talks about how she takes care that all is going well for her own mum. Shall PM you name & phone no.

A good example why I've seen well-crafted ads, like yours, also act as educational material for the pet buying public. And to do that, you have to go where the public goes.

Thanks for this link. Note a summary statement in the editorial: Consequently, despite the obvious enormous effort of the authors in assembling this information, there is still much work to be done to relate most of the disorders specifically to aspects of actual breed standards. This cuts across the enthusiasm which is driving the current bandwagon....a leap to a conclusion that purebred dogs have a peculiar feature in the world of dogs in that they're 'falling to pieces' because of genetic disorders. Words used in the infamous BBC documentary by a person (who's associated with this enthusiasm.) The key question.....& science always asks questions....is compared with what? Dogs are dogs are dogs, whether purebred or mixed breed....& all have genes & all have a conformation. Tables like the one above beg that question. So it's necessary to include mixed breed dogs in studies to see the incidence of disorders across the dog world, generally. An example: A study into the prevalence of hip dysplasia in a veterinary teaching hospital found there was no statistically significant difference between purebreeds & mixedbreeds in the dogs brought in for treatment. Now, fair enough, a more central registry would pick up incidence patterns across the wider dog population. And that single- location finding, might not hold with the larger cohort. Or might do. But those stats should allow any incidence level for a particular breed to be compared with other breeds, mixed breeds & also compared with the average across all dogs. (Also providing data base for further studies of manifestations, development & treatment of various conditions.) However, it'd be necessary (with such a registry) to investigate if there's any significant difference in the rate for purebreeds & mixedbreeds being brought, by their owners, for veterinary attention. If so, would need factoring in.

Couldn't agree more with everyone so far. I saw a similar one in a local non-puppy/kitten sale petshop. And was very pleased this ad, mentioned sales would be to approved homes. Thus indicating it was not just a case of passing money over. Also saw another info ad from a registered breeder, where she also spelled out....in plain English....what being a registered breeder meant. And how a code of ethics was involved. And how matching with good homes was her major aim. I actually contacted this breeder to congratulate her because her info ad was actually educational, in the nicest way, for the average pet owner.

Where did I say I prefer funding to come from? From the public purse research grant process. Why? Because a research proposal must be sent out for ranking by experts in universities, not private companies or sources. To even get off the starting block. What did I say this system helps engender? Quality, rather than even perception of bias. Which led me to state my (unlikely) wish that this project be first ranked by independent experts. (My apologies, sandgrubber, I sound like the person out the front of a protest group. Puts megaphone down ) I don't meet too many post-modernist intellectuals. I worked in a university with a high ranking for research & still meet with an associated research-review group. Which is why the objective eye of science would examine those 'consumer preferences' you talk about. However they've been gathered, they're essentially perceptions about something. And if this project claims to have a scientific base but considers itself consumer opinion driven....then those perceptions would need to be studied in themselves. Why are you so concerned about perceptions being studied? The results may support your point of view.....or not. Or something else entirely. UQ did so.....in relation to reasons people gave for dumping their dogs. Main reason was dog didn't live up to expectations. There you have those perceptions, again. And the study showed that a majority of those perceptions demonstrated unrealistic expectations about dogs. Which meant that clear recommendations could then be given.... By the way, I did not say that the research should not be done. But that it get the rationale & methodology straight (&, if only , be subject to independent ranking.)

It's not the electronics which will inject any scientific rigor into this enterprise. It's the methodology. If this project is to show the prevalence of inherited disorders in specific breeds, they're very much flirting with the notion that a disorder detected is peculiar to a breed. ( Which, in fact, some people seem to have already made up their mind about. The bandwagon's already taken off on that one.) Only way to prevent that, is to include crossbreeds in the study. And also to flag sources. As U of Q did for their extent of socialisation study. Do these folks....RSPCA UK, Sydney Uni & RVC ever talk to, or look at work, from other places? Denmark already carried out a useful study re cause of death & longevity, across purebreeds & crossbreeds. Interesting results there....a little bunch of pure breeds, trumped all the others. What is really funny & quite against the current bandwagon....the strangely shaped little dachshund with its long barrel body & short legs, came out in the top group. Now it could be worth doing similar studies to see if this is replicated in other countries with other genetic pools. Following on from this, then it's likely not a simplistic equation....that pure breeds have been developed into a state where genetic conditions, uniquely, abound. Which is why there's such good research IMO coming out of some of the top US university schools of veterinary medicine. I wish such places were involved. Less likely to start with a premise that drives a bandwagon & then set up a data collection which proves the bandwagon. Also known as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Another issue that give me the scholarly chills.....is the RSPCA UK's bloke's reference to 'consumer pressure' as driving the project. Now that's a surprise....I'd expect it to be science, if a university is involved. Consumer perceptions about ideal dogs, should in itself be something to be critically studied. Not accepted as truisms. No wonder then that some riders on the bandwagon seem to be talking the language of advertising. My wish.....tho' it won't happen....would be for this project & its rationales.....to be submitted to a range of expert evaluations....& ranked. Same system that injects quality into public- purse research funding... before a project can even get off the ground. Nope, I'm not an expert myself....which is why this would make me happy.

A nice summary....but it consists of points that people interested in the topic have already made. Go look at past threads on DOL, for example. However, it's good to see the key issues & needs gathered into one document which, hopefully, will be used as a reference to make things just previously wished for....happen. A key point, tho', was the reference to 'breeders' who are outside any Kennel Association regulative network. Yet, it's from such sources that the majority of problems may be coming from. UQ research here....certainly pointed to the shortcomings of unregistered breeders re socialisation & the production of accidental litters.

What a lovely idea (including the bit about leaving out the discount part!). I'd write all that down....& sign it with your name and paw print of your dog. Then pop it into a gift box, tied with yellow ribbon to show you'll never forget that kindness. I agree your story is a great reminder that any generalisation about vets just being in it for the money....is not true. We used to take our pets to our present vet.....way back, over 12 years ago. And because, she moved to another suburb, in the interim we went to other other local vets. With some very unacceptable results, including the death of one of our dogs from a medication stuff-up thro' ignoring my feedback about side-effects. Now we travel to our original vet....who, god help me, could remember our pets from 12 years back. She's proven again to be brilliant. Excellent care & she impresses me how she's like a good physician for humans (great surgical skills, too). I, too, continue to be gob-smacked at how reasonable the bills are. I keep thinking she must have made a mistake. My way of thanking her.....is that both our pet-loving neighbours have switched to her. And found her a breath of fresh air....& skill. She's right on the north-western suburb border in Brisbane.

I'd have been tempted to say, 'Were you away the day they provided one 10 minute lecture on genetics & breeding at your vet school?'

Same reason she goes to a hairdresser to get a haircut. Unless she has hair down to her ankles. Choice re ease for care & cleanliness, control of wee beasties, more access for skin to air.