Salukifan

Probably: that's a good idea. In fact, many time over the years I have read suggestions for someone to consider breeders when they are looking for an older dog. Your prejudice is showing :) It's not prejudice. It's frustration.

Diane I really think you need to talk to your vet about this. What I'm hearing is a dog being assaulted by all kinds of chemicals when you actually don't know what the allergen is. So you're giving him things that, in combination, may be compromising his immune system and continually washing his feet, removing the natural oils that provide some protection against contact allergies. Chances are, by taking a shotgun approach to the issue, you could be making it worse. I suggest you try one approach at a time under your vet's guidance. Otherwise, if something DOES work, how will you know what that thing is?? Option B is ring a holistic vet for a phone diagnosis and follow their advice as to how to tackle the problem from a broader perspective.

If your dog has a contact allergy, then you need to get rid of the allergen. I suggest a blitzkrieg on the Wandering Jew and you may well have the problem solved. Its a very very common allergen for dogs. Constant washing would be exacerbating the problem. Time to go after the plant.

Sorry, it was narkie. You are right. I find it wears thin to see the rescue agenda continually raised in threads asking for breed suggestions FOR PUPS on a purebred dog forum. It would also be nice to see breed suggestions that actually relate to what characteristics the person is seeking in a dog but that's not your fault. However, if I posted "go to a registered breeder for a purebred pup" in "looking for a rescue dog" threads, what do you think the reaction would be? Pet Rescue is a lousy site for searching by breed. You can't. Philosophical reasons no doubt but "small, medium or large" is pretty useless for searching for temperament, maintenance or coat type which is where breed is very handy.

Hi Ricey and nice to see you here. Lily my white Toy Poodle turned 16 today and Big Ted the poodle is now 16.5 so I hear you. I would suggest that your vet run the "old dog" tests on Hobbes and you may wish to discuss dementia medication if you think that's an issue. A friend of mine with a dotty old dog swears Hills B/D made a huge difference to her old boy's mental state so you might like to consider that too. Welcome to the old dog roller coaster - some days are better than others but sounds like there is plenty of life in the old boy yet.

If "low fat" is the primary prerequisite, even the supermarket brands are doing a "Lite" these days. Friend of mine feeds Supercoat Lite I don't care for what comes out of her dogs' back ends but they seem to do well enough on it.

I'm sure if she wanted a little rescue dog she'd be asking for one. What not choose a purebred pup (or adult dog) if that's what she wants?? Of course if Pet Rescue would make it easy to search by breed for a dog... but that's a whole nuther story. Why they insist that size alone is a good search method.... Breed CAN be a good method of finding temperament, looks and maintenance levels you know. And the OP does ask for breed recommendations.

Agree. I've yet to meet any kind of smaller Terrier that didn't like the sound of its own voice. Schipps too.

Honestly? Never! You may trust the dog but I don't trust the crates. Unless pegged they can roll over, they can get very warm and they don't really last all that long. If weight is an issue or how flat it folds, get a Securapen of some kind.

Fair enough. Hope things work out.

If the pup is on a decent dry dog food, for what it's worth, I agree with the vet. Calcium supplementation on it's own CAN lead to growth issues in pups. If there must be diet supplementation then it must be a equal ratio of calcium and phosphorus - hello raw meaty bones like chicken wings. What medication did the vet want to give and for what reason?

too late, neighbours will just say mean person next door has made dog that way (noisy) by keeping her whenever it suits neighbour. So of course dog is unsettled. That won't explain the lack of shelter, vaccination, microchippin, desexing, registration etc..

I hope not. Turns out Cassandra was right. My view is always to plan for the worst and that way it will never happen. Call it risk management and where my dogs are concerned I am severely risk averse. I would never allow an unvaccinated dog in my yard and if I had a bitch I would be concerned about interactions between this pup and my own dog as the pup matured. SBT people know only too well how that can go. The OP has her heart in the right place - lets hope fate doesn't conspire to kick her in the arse for her kindness. We've seen these things play out that way here before. I still think the best thing is to put ownership of the dog beyond doubt and to summon the authorities if the neighbours decide to retain the pup. They can either resolve the unvaccinated, unchipped undesexed issues or surrender her to an owner who will. As the OP is not the lawful owner of the dog, she won't even be able to get the pup vet care if needed - think about it. This limboland solution to the issue is no solution at all.

Yes, and that's going so well. The OP now has a dog in her yard and she can't control when it enters. The dog is probably not vaccinated and we have parvo active in the area. If the worst happened, the OP would be unable to buy a pup or have a baby pup in her yard for years. The dog is not desexed and may come into heat soon - how will that be managed? Is the OP prepared to fend off the neighbourhood Romeos or to chase this girl down when she goes out of the yard to look for love? The dog is miserable when returned to her owners and beats a hasty retreat to the OP's yard. What happens if the OP wants to go on holidays or move house? Or the neighbours move? The answer to any or all of those questions is not :) from where I sit. She has to either become the lawful owner of the dog, call in the authorities to scare the neighbour into action or back off IMO. However the damage is now done and this dog will now be a permanent fixture in the yard. Lets hope as she matures that she doesn't take issue with the resident dogs. I will bow out and leave this to become sunshine and sparkles but please consider that you now have custody of an unvaccinated, undesexed and unmicrochipped pup who is probably also unregistered. In the event that she leaves your yard to explore the big wide world, that is a bunch of fines if she ends up impounded and your neighbours may well suggest you should pay them

I talk to my neighbours. I appeared in Court to give evidence against one of them in a DV matter. Now there's a fun situation to be in. But I stil don't want their dogs unsupervised in my back yard.

I haven't insulted anyone my dear - it is you who is suggesting that I am uncaring, insulting and full of self importance. :) I have suggested that what you are doing is not helping the dog in the longer term. Rather than reacting by questioning my motives, please relfect on what I am trying to say. For example, if the neighbours won't relinquish ownership of this dog (and why would they when you're footing the bills) are you up to commitment to care for her by remaining next door for the duration of her life. What happens if one of you moves?

I don't give a toss what the neighbours think which is probably just as well because its clear they aren't thinking much. I care about the impact of the all of this on a young dog. And as for Richard Stubbs - yeesh, where do I start??? What do you think the odds are that this dog is vaccinated? It may be that her relative isolation is offering her partial protection from diseases that dogs that get out more will bring home. And what obligation is an owner who meets their dogs social and physical needs under to provide a companion to their neighbours dog?? Other people's dogs left unsupervised with mine with access to my house? Ah, no. Like most simple solutions the devil is in the detail and there's no way Im having my neighbour's dogs loose in my yard when Im not home - who's responsible for the vet bills if there are incidents??

I'm glad you feel that you've done the right thing. But some genuine dog lovingpeople are looking down the road and the view isn't sunny. You have not changed this dog's world if she is returned to her former owner. She will have shelter but she won't have attention. What you have done is show her how much better how her life could be and in all likelihood how it won't be from here on. She will now do anything and everything to keep returning to a better world, only to be sent back again. So sorry, for all your good intentions, I think you've potentially made a dog with a very ordinary life into a dog that will do anything to escape it. You've created an escape artist. The moral high ground is a very rocky place - suggest you resist the urge to claim it too readily. I look forward to her owners surrendering her and you claiming you've "saved" her for good. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to have my Cassandra prediction blown out of the water. Posting like this doesn't make me "feel better". Believe me when I say that the only feelings I am interested in are the dog's. And for the record, if I was hearing a dog crying constantly I'd call the rangers - they have the capacity to take action about the dog legally. Direct action was never your only option. You can't keep applying bandaids to a gaping wound and expect it to heal.

Edited - technical difficulties.

I think you have made a massive rod for your own back and in showing the neighbours dog a glimpse of a better life, made a bad situation worse for everyone including the dog. Whoever said "the road to hell is paved with good intentions" nailed it as far as this situation is concerned. Either offer to buy the dog, buy it a kennel or back out of this situation completely and quickly. Ideas about paying ongoing money for "access" to the dog are, quite frankly, strange. If you have genluine concerns about the dog, call the RSPCA the rangers or both and expect that your neighbours will be seriously pissed off. By law they are required to offer adequate food, water and shelter. That's it. Yes, this sucks but you can't keep on the way this has gone.

I worry about what the dog is going through to exhibit this behaviour Definitely get one of teh DOL gurus to visit ... it sounds just awful for everyone Agree. My gut says "get the dog back NOW". For a dog's behaviour to deterriorate so quickly, there is somethign wrong. I wouldn't care about what the owner wanted to work through. I'd call it and get the dog back ASAP.

Have your dog x-rayed. Until you know what is going on, you are speculating. X-rays will focus or eliminate attention on hips as a possible cause of the issue. I'd probably see a chiropractor before x-rays but it does sound like something quite serious to me.

On the other hand, spending the day surrounded by fellow dog tragics, admiring beautiful dogs, learning about unfamliar breeds and working toward being a well trained dog and handler team can be very enjoyable. Winning might simply be the icing on the cake. It really is all about perspective. If you go in expecting to see nastiness and bitching, you'll find it. Its what else you expect and look for that helps balance out the behaviour of the minority of tools. IMO the two key ingredients to becoming a successful exhibitor are friends and knowledge. Around the show ring is where to find them and hopefully also the mentor you will require to become a knowledgeable and successful breeder. It can be done via breed specific activities also but you won'f find these things in your back yard. I will warn you though, sometimes you go in with one breed and end up committing to another - there are so many fabulous breeds out there that your average dog owner doesn't get to meet. My current dog was given to me (no money changed hands and we have a formal co-ownership agreement) by a breeder who "never sells to show homes". There is no way in hell I would have him now if I hadn't earned my stripes and met people through showing my first show dog in this breed. Careful breeders place their pick dogs equally carefully - you will need to be a known quantity or have people vouch for you to be considered by some breeders Rightly so, they don't pour time and effort into creating a bloodline to see it squandered. In my case, the owner of my dog's sire made the introductions.

That is a REALLY good point. These two schnauzers I know are standard schnauzers but one is an ex-show dog and very well trained and the other is much younger, well trained and was noted to have a more submissive personality by the owners. I really did fall in love with the dog and they do look lovely (to me) and they really bonded with the kids but whether I can recreate that myself, I just don't know and probably don't have the experience. If we do decide to get a schnauzer, maybe the miniature one would be a better fit. I've been googling the other names on here too and will look into going to one of the local dog shows. If you choose well, equip your self with knowledge (via attendance at classes etc) and put the effort into training, there is no reason why not. The more pertinent question is whether, in the midst of family life, you are prepared as a family to commit to that effort which could be reasonably intensive for the first 12=-18months of a dog's life. If the answer is "yes" and you step up to ensure that dog and kids get appropriate boundaries for interaction and the dog gets its physical and social needs met then you'll in all likelihood get the dog you want to live with. Raising a well trained dog isn't rocket science. Ordinary people do it all the time. It just doesnt simply "happen" that a pup grows up to be one. If you are heading in the direction of Schnauzers (I love the Giants) you will need to take another step up to ensure the dog is kept groomed. That means regular visits to a professional and home maintenance.

I prefer to think of it as maintaining perspective rather than getting a thick skin. Far easier to deal with the slings and arrows by seeing those who fire them for what they are rather than trying to ignoring them. Success brings jealousy and bitchiness from the small and nasty minded in all things, not just the show ring.