mita

Thanks for the link. I heard the program being advertised on Radio National but didn't catch the time.

There was a thread some time back, asking about Sydney dog parks with lights... but the OT specified inner west. http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/237125-off-lead-dog-parks-with-lights-sydney-inner-west/

That's a lovely post, Flashsmum. You sound a lot like me, too. :) Only thing is that I even start conversations with strange dogs... & assorted animals... that I meet. Less pet-loving friends have often remarked that I can't walk past a dog without saying, 'Hello!'. I even spoke to 2 wild galahs on my morning walk... they were pecking away in the grass & I said, 'Morning, guys. Enjoying your breakfast?'

From what you've written, I'd suggest you consider a Welsh Cardigan Corgi (that's not a Pembroke, like the Queen has). As kids, our family owned a Cardigan Corgi, Biddy ... and she was a brilliant all-round family dog. Sensible, happy even temperament, sociable and adaptable to the range of family activities & needs. Biddy was as happy keeping an eye on the kids in the back garden, as pottering around with my mother... and as going out for weekends on the boat in Moreton Bay accompanying the men on their fishing trips (that's how sensible she was!). I looked up the breeders' pages on Dogzonline to give you the link... & I was chuffed to see one breeder use the same words to describe what he wants to produce...happy, friendly, sensible dogs: http://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/breeders/welsh-corgi-cardigan.asp Good on you for doing research. The next step will be to actually go to shows & talk with breeders (of whichever breeds have caught your interest). There's no generalization for any breed...so it'll be necessary to actually talk with & visit breeders and see individual circumstances. The breeders, too, will appreciate how you've been clear about what your home & family have to offer. Ye gods, I just made the mistake of looking at the Cardigan Corgi Puppies Available page on Dogzonline. :) Reminded me why we loved our Biddy: http://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/puppies/welsh-corgi-cardigan.asp?state=

Which is why I left out the breeder's kennel name in that example, because as I said I didn't know that person in reality. It's a case of checking out the actual circumstances with your own eyes and ears.... which I mentioned in my very first post. And having a specific list of what you're looking for. In fact, running thro' all the posts in this thread, it's possible to pull out some general criteria. And there's also research. We have our own UQ research which pointed to the importance of early socialization ...in critical early weeks...in determining how the pup becomes hardwired to interacting comfortably with people. And there's US research which shows that puppies coming from breeders who raise them in more home-based situations....with the everyday contact with people and their lives... tend to develop into more well-balanced pets. It also needs to be made clear what someone means by 'kenneled'. It doesn't mean there's no use of 'kennels' in keeping dogs. Many breeders who include their dogs in their everyday homelife much the same as the average pet dog.... have kennels where they sleep at night. It's a question of what life dogs have outside any kenneling.

Look what I found in the Dogzonline list of registered breeders of border collies... who presently have puppies available. Exactly what I was talking about before... a registered breeder who makes it clear how their dogs and puppies are raised into a life that's the same as a loved pet dog. I wiped out the name of the kennels, so I wouldn't be seen to be promoting a particular breeder that I don't know in reality. But I dips my lid to this person's words At X Border Collies our dogs are not locked away in kennels but are free to roam our 40 acres property and are very involved in our everyday life. Our dogs are very much a part of our family so in addition to being very beautiful our dogs are bred for their wonderful temperaments. Our pups are raised with lots of love and affection and are very happy and playful.

I'm puzzled by your friends' final decision that it was somehow better to go with a newspaper ad or a gumtree ad. They seem to be saying that there they'll get a pup whose parents were loved as pets. How do they know the circumstances in which a pup was raised unless they, again, actually go and look? I'm also puzzled that your friends made a generalization about registered breeders.... of whom there are thousands... on a sample of one. If they were buying a car, they'd check out more than one dealer! They need to join the dots... they want a pup who's been raised in conditions where the parent dogs are treated as pets AND they prefer a registered breeder. So they need to check out OTHER registered breeders to find those who keep and raise their dogs in the manner they're looking for. And, in fact, look at the registered breeders' ads on the Dogzonline site. Numbers of them make the point that their dogs are raised in circumstances very like a pet home. All of our purebred tibetan spaniel pets have come from breeders who do that ... as well as their dogs excelling in the show ring. The two things are not mutually exclusive. Here you go... the very first registered breeder I found on the Dogzonline site says this (& you'll easily find similar for your friends' breed of interest): We are a small show and breeding kennel, breeding Tibetan Spaniels for Type, Temperament and Soundness. All our puppies are house reared, socialized, vet health checked, vaccinated, microchipped, regularly wormed, heart wormed and are registered with Dogs NSW (enquiries welcome)

Thanks for giving the context, Leah. That puts a different slant on the episode. It wasn't necessarily habitual behaviour by the dog, but a response to an unusual event.... hadn't seen the owner for 2 years. Sure shows that what preceded a particular behaviour is important to know ... in order to understand it.

I met a lady a few weeks a go who got very excited that I knew her dog was a Murray River Curly. Lisa, we know someone who owns a Murray River Curly & he says he gets odd comments. His favourite, 'Is that a Labrador with a perm?' :) So he'd share that lady's excitement... that you knew the breed!

Yes, there's many people who think that... & say so. Which is nice. Trouble is when you own a less common breed, lots of people assume it's a deliberate mixed breed. Like our Tibetan Spaniels. People make guesses like 'an interesting mix?', 'pekinese crossed with something else small?'. I get a rare thrill.... when someone in the street or wherever, says, 'Tibbie!'. It always turns out that a relative or friend of that person owns one.

I had a barking Tibbie here... while that was playing! Lily next door is staying over & she got very annoyed with the dog's noise. She barked as if to say, 'Get a grip!' I had a Tibbie who used to get over-excited and literally scream whenever I came home. I had to train her out of it.... & not pat and reassure her until she was calm. It worked.

It doesn't appear as if they're fobbing off the dogs to just anyone who turns up & points to them. It clearly says that anyone whose interest is raised by the Pet Rescue entries, has to come along & talk with shelter staff.... even before they actually meet the dogs. When we were younger, I'd have been interested in exploring a pair like this ... & the fact that they're a pair would likely give them some reassurance in a change to a new home. I doubt if there'd be many pet owners willing & able to take this on (& no blame attached for that) ... but some exist and the ads set out the parameters ... & the screening process starts with the applicant/s. If I sound like the perfect companion for you and you think you can help me continue my rehabilitation, please visit my human friends at RSPCA Burwood East to have a chat with them – they would love to learn more about you. If you seem like the perfect match for me, my human friends at the RSPCA will arrange for you to meet me. A following statement says to be adopted with the 'friend'. We bought a purebred sheltie (from an excellent bloodline & in excellent condition) that had been kept solely for showing. She had no socialization beyond the breeder, no experience of the outside world & no experience of everyday living in a house. In fact, the breeder told us all that ... he was only selling her as a pet because she'd grown too big for showing (& breeding). She needed a lot of learning ...& we were more than happy to do it. Like, she'd never been up steps, nor outside on a footpath, nor in a car... and all those frightened her witless. I remember the tiny, tiny steps needed to get her to walk even a few feet out on the footpath.... or up the stairs.

I'd second that recommendation. Gaille Perry used to be in Qld... & was on the staff at the University of Qld. When a Brisbane children's hospital first introduced pet therapy dogs, it was Gaille Perry who was selected to do the sensitive work of screening, selecting & training dogs and owners. Only the best behaviorist would do in that situation...

I notice that the new park has two sections... one for the more energetic playing dogs & the other for the less robust dogs. One of the dog parks near us, has this system & it's worked very well.

Agree completely about the Smooth Collie.

I understand you're looking for the kind of arrangement we have with our long-term neighbours... who are also good friends. They're also Tibbie tragics & we look after their tibetan spaniel, Lily. And they look after our tibbie girls, Nina Zena & Annie. Lily loves coming over to stay with her besties. When her owners are going to the airport, they just pop her over the fence & she runs up the back deck & 'knocks' on the door. We even look after each others dogs on short-term basis.... like if either of us will be out for a full day & into the evening.

Best wishes with the rehoming possibilities. I keep going back & drooling over his photo. Gorgeous looking boy.

He's very beautiful, isn't he. Even tho' this link is Qld, there's a Setter Club of Qld which covers English Setters. They say they're a contact point for rescue/rehoming. They might have some links or some ways of bringing Archie to breed lovers attention (like they have a newsletter & a Facebook page): http://www.irishsetters-whitsunday.com/page1002.html

Services that do this kind of work are usually listed as Auto Conversions. Here's one in Sydney that I got from a Google search. I have no idea of the quality of their work. But the page gives an idea of the various conversions places like this cover... includes dog cages. You could search further under Auto Conversions. Or as Nekhbet's suggested ask a reputable 4WD dealer, who they pass on their requests for conversions to: http://www.motoraccessories.net.au/

That's a good point. And it's the reason why we've always had sturdy side gates so the dogs are kept in the back. Leaves a clear path to front door. I honestly don't know if that's a law or not. But it's made commonsense to me.

I looked up the South Australia Lottery and Gaming Act 2008. It says there are some good and services which are not permitted as lottery prizes. But they don't list them in the Act, it seems they are listed in the South Australian Government Gazette. Would need to search that out to check if live animals as prizes are prohibited list In SA: Prohibited goods and services (1) The Minister may, by notice in the Gazette, prohibit specified goods or services (or a specified class of goods or services) from being— (a) a prize in a lottery, sweepstakes or Calcutta; or

The 'want it' could be taken out of quotation marks... & thus become a fact... if the 'raffle' tickets were turned into applications. Anyone wanting to put their name in the hat, could first be accepted into the draw via an application. People organizing such an event should set it up differently from a straight-out raffle... which they say it is not. Well, then, don't make it a raffle with a random winner... make it a draw by already vetted application.

Agree, I think it's a nice idea :) Yes, too. As described above, I think it's a lovely idea. Not much different from the number of times, I've been asked to take the tibbie girls on a visit to someone for a special reason. Good time had by all.

I notice that an excellent comment has been added, by Brenda H, on that Facebook page, pointing out making a dog a prize is against RSPCA guidelines... and why. https://www.facebook.com/pages/South-Australian-Country-Hour/103075692617?fref=nf Here's those guidelines (from RSPCA Australia website): What does the RSPCA think about the use of live animals as prizes? Sometimes live animals are given as prizes in raffles, competitions or other fundraising events. Examples include ponies or dogs in raffles, goldfish as fairground prizes, dogs in raffles etc. RSPCA Australia is opposed to the use of live animals as prizes as this creates a situation where a person is responsible for the care of an animal without any proper planning or consideration. Acquiring a companion animal should be the result of careful planning and prior consideration. The prospective owner should have a clear understanding of the responsibilities involved and carefully consider whether they have, and will continue to have, the facilities, time, financial means and level of interest necessary to ensure a satisfactory standard of care for their animal prior to acquiring the animal. If you know of a competition or fundraiser where live animals are being advertised as prizes, consider contacting the organisers to express your concern and ask them to provide an alternative prize.

The lives of dogs in the wild were (are) nasty, brutish and short. Good article here from a chief vet of a respected UK welfare association. http://www.bluecross.org.uk/1752-109677/is-a-natural-life-better-than-a-domesticated-one-.html Domestication of dogs and steps by humans to improve their welfare, has led to an aim that dogs' lives will not be so nasty, brutish & short. As powerlegs described in her post... if owners/breeders take away welfare standards, then their modern dogs can live a pretty nasty life.