Salukifan

Neither would I. And yet, I've managed to raise 5 pups working full time whilst NEVER leaving a pup alone for so long. Its about the level of commitment you're prepared to make to a pup, not whether or not you work. God knows what some breeders think of those who raise litters while having full time jobs. That would classify as "special assistance", would it not? Hmm? Not to me. Nothing "special" about it. You do what is best for the pup and give it what it needs. That's what responsible, committed dog owners do whether they work or not. But from the sounds of things you'd have not even given my home a second thought Jed. This is a quote from your original post. I'd like to think that quite a few full time workers including me have proven that statement wrong. It works if you're prepared to put the effort into making it work.

What happens if you wade in yourself? Still water he can follow you into is going to be the best start.

I have to say that I do have a soft spot for casowner's Azure and Wolff. They are magnificant dogs :D Agree. You'd need the right circumstances and home for one but they are amazing animals.

Neither would I. And yet, I've managed to raise 5 pups working full time whilst NEVER leaving a pup alone for so long. Its about the level of commitment you're prepared to make to a pup, not whether or not you work. God knows what some breeders think of those who raise litters while having full time jobs.

If I was to move to acreage and wanted a dog for security, I'd be looking at a LGD of some kind. A friend of mine has recently added a Tibetan Mastiff to the family. They are traditional guardians of women and children. She is blown away by the breed. :)

One rather obvious answer would be that the family had already raised such a dog. I don't object to breeders placing pups in the homes they consider best suit them. That is as it should be. However, the "works" or "doesn't work" differentiaton is far too simplistic a divide to make the determination about suitability that some believe it to be. I'd like to think people would be more open minded than that. Most of us can think of examples of dogs in homes where folk don't work that are not well cared for. Its the generalisation about the works or doesn't work divide that seem both inaccurate and unfair to me.

Entirely inappropriate to leave a Whippet pup in unsupervised. My 10 week old pup got out of such a pen within 5 minutes.

That may work when you are home to give the dog toilet breaks outside. If you're leaving the pup alone for longer periods, its really not suitable. They can't really play, or get any meaningful exercise or stimulation in a small pen. Any pen the pup can climb out or over creates a risk that the pup will get hung up on it. A fenced run would be the safest option.

As I said in response to Jed, you breed them, your choice as to where they are homed. I'm guessing you also don't home to anyone who sleeps their dogs outside at night? Or anyone who ever leaves their dogs unattended during a day's outing?

I'd suggest you follow the advice given to you in your other thread and get the pup OUT of the laundry and into a routine with inside/outside access. A laundry is a completely inadequate place to leave a pup for 6-8 hours. if the only time he's ever in the laundry is when you leave then you've made it a very unhappy place for him to be. You might benefit from an in home visit from a decent dog trainer. You have to start accustoming this pup to time alone in the place where he will spend his time as an adult. The more you fuss about leaving him, the worse it will get. One more thing. If he's wearing a collar when you leave him, TAKE IT OFF. If he is going to be jumping at that door to get out or climbing whereever you leave him, you have a real risk he is going to hang himself. I do know of a Whippet pup that got caught by a back leg in a laundry and hurt itself quite badly. It really is not the place to be leaving a dog.

Do we? Or once again, are you falling into assumptions about people who work full time? Because that way lies danger. I can tell you right now that the presence of a person at home during the day who makes no effort to socialise or train a pup (and they are legion) is just as damaging to the pup as an empty home. Fat lot of good it does the pup if it's never let inside the house. Any sweeping generalisation is fraught with danger. I'd no more assume that a person who didn't work would make a great home than I'd assume a person who did work wouldn't. Personally, I'm bloody glad I work full time. God knows how I'd pay the $4,000 in vet bills my dogs cost me last month otherwise.

Jed, if you're wondering why people are getting offended, you need go no further than reading this response from you. You've assumed (wrongly for some) that a full time job means that people are leaving baby pups home alone all day. A number of us have explained how that isn't so. It's not fun to be written off as uncaring because you have a full time job, especially when you make special effort to see to the needs of a growing pup. Sweeping generalisations about the standard of dog care given by full time workers was always bound to offend some. I'm not offended but I can see why some are.

Of course if you don't work but leave the pup outside to its own devices for most of the time, that's just dandy? I know a retiree whose dogs never leave the yard - how is that a better home than with someone who makes time and effort to socialise and train a pup? The problem with such hard and fast rules is that they fail to take into account so many variables. I work full time but I took leave and/or time off at lunchtimes to feed and spend time with baby pups or I arranged for them to have day care with friends who didn't work. They were NEVER at home all day by themselves. Rather than rejecting a full time worker out of hand, I'd suggest that it would be better to ask "how will you ensure that the pup gets enough time with you?" As a breeder, Jed is within her rights to send the pups to the kind of homes she chooses. I think she's missing out on some good homes with this rule but it IS her right to decide.

If the Lab is yellow and has a pink nose, chances are its genetic, not sunburn. It's what they call a Dudley nose Nonetheless, sunscreen its a great idea. I'd go with a horse product.

I'm interested in using nutrition to optimise a dog's genetic potential for development and in giving a long and healthy life. If a dog can live 16+ years on rubbish, imagine its potential on an optimal diet! Raw or otherwise, it requires a bit more thought than what's good for your wallet. It's my belief that better husbandry would see many dogs live longer, more active lives. That's second nature to a lot of horse owners but it seems that it's not given the same priority with many pet owners. That means care of diet, regular chiropractic and muscle work and optimal (but not excessive) exercise. I see all of that as my responsibility as a dog owner be they show dog or simply as a pet.

Not yet, but I would adopt a mature dog from a shelter when I'm older. Only a purebred Whippet or Poodle though so I suppose that's not all that helpful. Clearly those people who think purebred dog breeders are the major source of dogs in pounds don't visit pounds much. A cursory look at the dogs there would put that idea to rest rather quickly.

Well it is true to some extent but it's also an excellent reason not to feed them as much food....having a dog desexed is a not an excuse to let them become a coffee table on legs. He sounds more like a sofa. ETA: I have seen a few people have a moment when they see what a correct weight version of their dog looks like. Fat becomes "normal" after a while. Know anyone with a CKCS in great condition?

Interesting take on the issue from Mr Milan His point about poor behaviour from untrained dogs labelled as assistance dogs is a good one. I tend to think that service or assistance dogs perform a function for their owners beyond simply existing. We all get comfort, companionship and pleasure from our pets. That doesn't get them over the "assistance dog" bar in my eyes.

No idea in this case but all some dogs have to do is have an owner who shops on Ebay

That's bugger all. I'd like to know what snacks he gets too. I hope you can make your grandmother understand that her dog will live a much shorter life of less quality unless she gets his weight down.

Can you give a quantity on that? Some people's "not much at all" is a lot of food to others.

I can just picture him doing that

Passionate about his dogs, intolerant of fools and executer of some rather spectacular dummy spits in the ring :laugh: Neil was no saint but he was a decent open hearted man who fought a long and hard battle against cancer with inspirational dignity and courage and he made it to shows to see his beloved Fauves even in very frail health. One of the true local characters and the kind of breeder whose openness to sharing his lines has meant that his hard work to establish the Basset Fauve in this country will live on. He also brought in a damn fine Whippet in Krakka. Farewell Neil - you will be missed and your legacy in Fauves is one breeders should aspire to. My condolences to his family and close friends.

Puppy millers don't generally import dogs. Only AQIS would have total numbers but I have no idea if they record breeds.

Don't panic yet. Easy to say i know but one seizure is not an epilepsy diagnosis. I have had a dog seize. Once. Never did it again. Can I suggest you find a qualified and recommended dog chiropractor had have her thoroughly checked as part of working through what happened. Sorry, ETA yes, epilepsy can have a genetic component - some breeds are more prone to it than others for a start.