mita

Agree.

Totally agree, LG. For most consumer products, quality control is required in the 'preparation' ... directed towards a quality outcome. But authorities have a blind spot when it comes to puppies & dogs for the public market. All they have to do is look at how the military dogs are bred, raised and socialised. All the factors you've raised above are followed... before the dog gets up to its actual military training.

That's lovely. Intelligence is adaptive behaviour ... whether you're a human or a dog. Changing behaviour in response to an assessment of circumstances. Your doggies give a perfect example.

Have you considered the groups that link people with experience with caring for pets in owners' own homes with those needing that service? We have relatives who go to New Zealand for periods of time & they get suitable people from this source to look after their band of pets. The minders have references & checks. Our rellies (wife used to be a vet nurse) have always been happy with the service. I think the minders have the benefit of living rent free ... or almost. Maybe others on DOL have actually used this kind of service, too, & would know more about it.

:) Go on ... go the whole hog & paint it yellow!

Diana, thanks for that information & those links. I totally agree with your post. Sars, I totally understand that you stress you are only talking about 'some people' when you mention that there may be emotional disturbance leading some to take up rescue. But I'd like to say that there are inherent features within work for homeless & needy animals, that can cause serious stress across the normal range of persons. The first step in preventing or dealing with such stresses is to recognize that it can be plain human to go at the knees in such settings. Unless it's managed for.... as others have already suggested. And the last thing the average volunteer, feeling the bite of these stresses, needs to be told, is that they entered the work because of some underlying emotional disturbance. So Mel's plan of Compassion Fatigue workshops is an excellent idea. Compassion Fatigue is found in helping professions dealing with humans, too.

Mel, workshops like that would be so valuable. University of Qld used to have a research interest in homeless companion animals in shelters & rescue. In their newsletter, 'Paws for News', Issue 6/Summer 2008, they wrote: 'This is a heartbreaking job, and one with significant human toll. Post-traumatic stress syndrome is suffered by as many as 50% of shelter staff faced with this situation on a daily basis, leaving them with severe long-term effects and health issues.' I'd imagine the impact might be worse for people working in private rescue, without at least some cushioning of a variety of people handling the everyday challenges.

Totally agree. They listed Tibetan Spaniels as dumb. We had working dog breeds, Border Collies, Blue Heelers and Shelties for many years. Loved them & their 'your wish is my command' attitude to being trained. Then we down-sized to Tibetan Spaniels, totally different mindset ... 'show me your wish has some point & I'll think it thro'.' I love how Tibbies size up situations for themselves. It's been the Tibbies who've acted independently to alert about a car thief in the driveway, an intruder coming up into the house (then tracking him), & discovering & alerting about a lost child on the street outside. Still love both groups .... but different manifestations of 'intelligence'.

We had a wonderful time, LG. Huge number of people & their dogs came. The police officers were flat out, with long lines of people, taking dogs' names & contact numbers ... then they engraved their 'Dogs on Patrol' collar tag with that info to be picked up after 15 minutes. Lots to do .... free sausage sizzle & drinks, people happily waited in a long line. There were stalls of all kinds.... Kedron Vet staff had lovely doggie treats, AWL was there, so was Neighbourhood Watch, doggie clothing & leads. People had a great time just talking with each other & patting dogs (there's a fenced off-leash area on the spot, so some let their dogs play there). Police officers who weren't in the busy tag production line had a great time talking to people and their dogs. Their media unit was taking photos. People were very happy to stay for the 2 hours... & as I said elsewhere it was great to see a GAP assessed, rehomed greyhound win a big donated prize in the lucky draw. It was organised by the police in the Stafford Police District, with funding help from a Council Community fund. I asked the police officer who thought of the initiative, if other Police Districts would now do one, too. She said it would depend on the Crime Prevention officer in each district .... they'd be the ones to ask in other areas. It's a brilliant idea & I think the police were surprised as well as delighted at the enormous response and how great all the people & dogs were. Didn't hear one doggie kerfuffle in the entire time! My Tibbie girls are wearing their 'Dogs on Patrol' tags which have 'Qld Police Service Initiative' written on them. It occurred to me that's not a bad thing ...if some creep decides to steal them. Might think the police are specially watching over these dogs! :)

It was lovely seeing a rescued greyhound win, this afternoon. Not at racing, tho'. We were at a doggie event run by the local Qld Police & Neighbourhood Watch, at which lucky tickets for a prize were given out. Big crowd of people & their dogs there. We spotted a gorgeous greyhound wearing a green GAP collar. Spoke to the owner to congratulate her on this lovely girl. At the end of the afternoon, when the lucky tickets were drawn, we clapped like mad when the lady with the greyhound won. We heard such supportive comments from people standing near us, who also thought it was fantastic.

We had a 19 yr old, originally a rescue thrown from a car as a puppy. She, too, was spritely, with no mobility problems. She lived nearly 4 more years... all good ones. Much loved & greatly respected was our 'Grandma'.

Qld Police have posted all the goodies that will be on, at the Dogs on Patrol event tomorrow. Sounds like a great afternoon: http://mypolice.qld.gov.au/brisbanenorth/2015/04/23/paws-approval-dogs-patrol/

There was a Brisbane family, few years back, who fitted into the animal hoarding pattern, many dogs and extremely poor care & management. As with that pattern, they were oblivious to 'education' efforts & kept on doing the same, despite a number of charges for neglect. Finally, an option of banning people from owning animals for life was written into the law ... & that was applied to them. But, typical of the Battery Bunny behaviour of animal hoarders, they were later busted again. This time, they'd hidden piles of neglected dogs and cats up in the ceiling of their house.

You started a thread in February .... where you said you were interested in getting a border collie or cross via rescue. But then said you'd found one (from a breeder?) that was 1 week old, to be delivered at Easter. Did you get that baby?

You're right, didn't think of that. :) We'll likely go, even tho' we're in the next police district. To support the idea.

A genuine question... given I know nothing about developing a new breed. Is the aim to develop a standard re certain conformation requirements? And for that conformation to be assessed by an independent 'judge' at a public dog show? Same as for the already established breeds. My question is when & how do the developers of new breeds take part in their own public, independently judged dog shows?

I loved the video! Great for the general public to see ... & to go along and meet the greys. Made me so nostalgic for when I'd take my tibbie, Angel, along to act as small dog tester for GAP. I fell in love with every grey tested.... & so did she.

Notice in North-West News, Brisbane: Dog owners and their pooches are invited to attend the official launch of Dogs on Patrol, hosted by Stafford Police & Neighbourhood Watch groups. The new Qld Police Service initiative is being launched on April 26 from 3-5pm at Roy Harvey Park in Stafford and aims to promote dog walkers' personal safety. Locals can pat a police pup, grab plenty of doggie treats (human treats, too) and come and collect a free Dogs on Patrol dog tag, then have it engraved for free. There will be a free sausage sizzle.

Been there, done that (when I lived in Canada). It takes a LOT of tomato juice to bath a Lab! Not funny and it doesn't completely remove the smell - just moderates it enough that you are not constantly gagging!! You're not wrong ... there'd be a lot of tomato juice for a lab. And I bet it wouldn't be re-usable. There was something else also mentioned for anti-skunk smell... but I can't remember what it was!

Not that I'm suggesting this.... & besides we don't have skunks. But it was funny to read on our international tibbie list (where there's lots of Americans)how they get rid of a skunk smell on their dogs by dousing them with tomato juice. :)

A great idea. Hope it leads to lots of pics being posted!

When we had working dog breeds, I kept a pile of old face washers. I'd put a few drops of Nil Odor (highly concentrated) in some warm water, dip in & wring out a washer so it wasn't soaking wet, then rub that thro' the coat & legs. Nil Odor instructions say it can be added to a dog's bath water, when you want to go the whole hog.

Some time back, a DOLer fostered a RAAF puppy. She started a thread about it.

I love the words Beef's handler asked to be put on his memorial box: A true, faithful military dog, to the end: ‘Stand down Ethan, you have served your master well.’’

Article in UK's Dog World magazine in October 2013 says where this came from.... & categorically says there's no such move. Seems at a Kennel Club AGM, a question was asked if the KC intended to register crossbreeds. The President, speaking off the cuff, gave the impression the KC was asking itself this question. However, a vote taken was almost unanimous in squashing it: http://www.dogworld.co.uk/product.php/101562/KC%20‘not%20considering%20recognition%20of%20crossbreeds'