Weasels

I don't want to say too much as GT have given me the stink-eye once before, and done worse to others. I think the other companies have imported testing protocols from overseas, but if you tried to put out the word to Aust breeders you were devloping a test, I'm confident the existing companies would try to run interference. Which you might be able to handle in private enterprise, but government affiliated labs just don't have the resources to fight it. The existing labs can add breeds cheaply as they already have the markers, they just need to find the types in the new breeds. So they are really your only option. You're limited to their testing methods (whatever they are) and the associated interesting results. (efs)

Both my 2 have been caught eating things with chilli sauce on them, and my girl would climb over broken glass to get to a chilli jerked chicken They lick their lips for a minute or so but still come back for more! Love the expressions in those pics! Beautiful dogs

Our herding club wouldn't start Weasel on reglular training until he was 12 months. Some dogs do more intermittent training younger but just letting you know some trainers might want you to wait

I'd love to! Probably need about $100k though to type enough reference animals from each breed and buy all the lab consumables And then hope that genetic technologies don't sue me..... (eta just pointing out that as MalteseLuna said since they own the patents and don't tell anyone how they test, anyone else coming along would have to start from scratch. Since it's a private company, they are naturally anticompetitive, even to universities)

I just checked and APBT isn't listed as one of the tested breeds on the bitsa website

there is this story - http://www.australiandogforum.net/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=409 (the original link to the story is broken tho) As far as I can see there are 3 problems with going the DNA route: 1. I've been told they can't tell Amstaffs from APBTs 2. If it's not reliable, you might get a false-positive from the test for APBT 3. There are enough documented cases of wacky results to discredit the results if someone was motivated to.

There is also this company - http://www.breedid.com.au/ TBH neither GTG or ASAP labs have a very good reputation. They are very clear on their website that this is for the interest of the owner only and is no substitute for knowing pedigree. If you wanted to use it to challenge BSL, I wouldn't rely on it

Should be, vets would just be reselling the same kit so might as well go through the lab directly. $150 I believe.

That's fine. I'm pretty sure we don't need permits in WA and we have at least 5 in my suburb. I've had to chase one down on the beach and return him to his owners because once they're gone - they're gone. Very independent little mites, and keeping & breeding them to maintain lines is different from Johnny random deciding they're 'cool'. (ETA: and taking on a more difficult breed than they can handle. Just like unsocialised pitbulls! I guess I wasn't so off topic after all :D )

With no prior info? Google BITSA. It doesn't seem very accurate tho. With some breeding background info, parentage testing is your best option. (EFS)

I'm not drawn to bull breeds myself so I couldn't say. BUT in my own brain I can't even conceive of how people could not like dogs in general, or my fav breeds specifically, so I'm sure other people have this emotional blind-spot too where they just see a loyal loving friend rather than a fighting machine This I don't really get tho. We have spent tens of thousands of years creating dogs that are biddable, friendly and attached to humans, then people who get dingoes as pets just decied this wasn't worth the trouble (?). Even most indigenous Australian groups ditched dingoes pretty quick once they saw the advantages of domestic dogs. I like dingoes plenty as wild animals, but I like my pets to be.... well, pets.

*shudder* I hate loose snakes. My poor chilhood dog was bitten twice by snakes during her 13-yr life, multi-day vet visits each time At least she pulled through tho. But we have had horses on the same property for around 40-50 years, I don't recall ever hearing of one being bitten by a snake. They'd probably have to surprise one, whereas the dogs will actively chase the snake. Sounds like you are doing what you can. The little "#$&%'s will sometimes turn up no matter how careful you are, so vigilance of both your property and your dogs for signs of illness are your best defence

..... That's awesome. Remember a PhD is more about teaching the student research skills than whether the actual research undertaken is going to change the world.

This was my first thought too. Plus from an industry standpoint, responsible owners that work full time are more likely to spend more money on their pets anyway. Like higher quality food, enviro enrichment, dog walkers etc. I know that I am in denial about how much I spend on my dogs ;)

The clubs in Vic are probably big enough that this isn't a problem, but I'd check first that there are other small dogs training at your preferred club so you can set up your own equipment and aren't constantly re-adjusting the jump heights BTW I love Schipperkes! We were considering getting one for a while :D

Hi Joan, My girl developed demodex spots after I switched her from advocate to sentinel. She was on daily ivermectin too, I tried a few things on her spots directly like green tea and a very small amount of tea tree oil. I have no idea if these helped, but I think you'd be fine just letting the ivermectin do its thing. It does take a while but it'll fix it, we are back on just monthly advocate now and no further spots. Here's the poor little mange-face with bald spots on her forehead (bad photo since it was on my phone, and she has sand in her eyes too from the morning beach trip )

Obviously behaviourist ASAP, but in the mean time she should do her best to avoid the dog's triggers for growling. Instead of growling 'NO' at the dog, try to distract or lure off the couch etc. in a friendly, playful way. This may not be a long-term plan (depending on what the behaviourist says) but it will prevent the dog from practicing & reinforcing the bad behaviour until your friend can get help in.

I think it's great you're considering an adult! The poor things get overlooked so much. I have had 3 dogs from adults (including my current 2) and one from puppy, so I have nothing like the breadth of experience as many here, but I'll add my 2c - without knowing you current training style I couldn't say ;) - Remember a dog between 1-2 years is still forming its adult behaviour, so is still quite malleable in this time. I would doubt it would be set in its ways yet. They may come with some quirks or pre-ideas about how things work but you can definitely teach them the new rules. - Of course they can learn new things! Dogs are amazing! - Same with training out of bad habits. e.g. my younger dog was a super-chewer when we got him, we successfully trained him to only chew things out of his toy basket and we can now leave our shoes out on the floor without fear. - I would (and have) take an adult personally Mine were 15 months and 9 months when I got them. Pros: - No toilet training! - fewer sleepless nights - they may come pre-trained and quieter - you get to find out all their cute little quirks as you go (this may also be a con, depending on the specific quirk!) - you can get a better idea of their temperament etc. Cons: - You don't get to see their little fuzzy puppy faces as they grow up :D - If you get one from a rescue you may never know their past. I often wonder about where mine have been. - They may have learned bad behaviours, but if these are a problem a good behaviourist should be able to help. If you take your time to choose the right fit for you and the dog, you'll get a loving, loyal companion for life without the 'challenges' of puppyhood!

I put chi, but I wasn't confident about it

How can she be a research fellow and a phd candidate? Surely you should already have a phd to get a research fellowship? Anyway, sandgrubber this seems to be an independent popular article by someone who just happens to be a student in the field, not a professional scholarly work representing Monash

I got this feeling too, that the dogs were more a device to link the characters, and to look into the life of the UK equivalent of 'Aussie battlers'. The discussion and treatment of the dogs seemed more used to demonstrate how these animals we humanise and treasure so much when life is manageable, become commodities and security systems when the chips are down. (IMHO anyway)

I often forget that people see staffs as 'tough' dogs, all the ones I've met have been total smoochers. But this is obviously an economically depressed and socially troubled neighbourhood. I don't feel qualified to judge their decisions, since it's far removed from my experience. Who's there to tell them the likely outcome of their actions? They don't seem to treat the dogs any worse than the other people in their lives.

You should just answer honestly and not try to second-guess the survey's motives. If it is a PhD project (I think I read that) they should have no agenda and just want to find out the facts - if you skew your answers based on assumptions you are just providing junk data, and it will probably get thrown out as a statistical aberration anyway. I had this trouble too unless they are next to each other For some of them I wished there was a size reference. (EFS)

I'm not about to re-do the whole thing on safari just to find out tho... 'cos of this I almost wrote in the comments 'enough with the bull breeds! They almost all looks like staffy crosses to me!'

Worked on mine ;) Huh. Weird. Maybe it's just my browser then (icab)