Fuzzycuddles

that first bit has me in tears that poor sweet boy im so glad he has found a loving forever home that sounds so perfect and that he has had a chance to know a loving family and meet some friends along the way what a perfect christmas story.. have to agree with not telling the owners, id honestly make them feel it but i can be a bitch like that, i too would mention how he was on the PTS list for today and hopefully they will stew on that for a while and think VERY hard before bringing another animal into their home. buster is very lucky especially at this time of year and id hate them to think that luck will come around with every animal because as we know for so many it doesnt

miss pip is TOO CUTE!! i love that vid.. im really not suited to the breed but she is gorgeous. OP- it is possible to train a puppy and look after young children, its even possible to have the children involved with doing this i know a family that has done this very successfully with their son and a labrador but it does take alot of work and dedication and also support so you can have the time with the dog to start the foundation (this is actually how i got involved with the family as i was hired to help while she trained) is there a particular reason youre looking to get a dog right now? is there a possibility of you fostering for a while to see how you cope with a dog in the family and if it can fit into your life? perhaps even look at the guide dogs program they have two one is for the puppy stages and the other is the second stage where the dog lives with you but they're picked up every day to go to their training and dropped back at night. this is also a fairly inexpensive way of having a dog as costs are covered. the added advantage to this is that after that dog is homed and you have had a little more experience and also the opportunity to talk with trainers etc as a part of that you may find yourself better able to deal with any issues that may arise with the new dog and not find yourself in the unfortunate position of having to rehome another loved family member.

really... wow.. i actually knew someone in SA who was complaining that they wanted a Dogue de Bordeaux to have a litter with over their bitch (who was pure) as they thought theyd make alot of money.. apparently they were having some trouble as no breeder would agree to it :rofl: and they arent a very common breed around where she lived.. i remember sitting there very confused and trying to understand why shed honestly thought any breeder would actually agree to having a litter with her and trying to work out if she was pulling my leg (she wasnt )

why did they even get the dog then and why would you dump a lab at a pound especially a choc lab they are one of the easiest breeds to rehome id think i must be evil cos im kinda glad she left angry and disappointed.. can't imagine anyone would have the nerve to dump a dog and then turn around and demand payment

how is the beautiful Elli doing? is there any chance she will have somewhere to go for Christmas?

unfortunately many dogs are chosen based on looks or price, but there are still many who choose based on inherited conditions (long term costs) and breed temperament etc. i would still hazard a guess that it isnt possible to be an ethical BYB even by those standards (not to imply they are too low please dont take it that way just others have a long list and it varies so much depending on the person and their values i know for me some registered breeders dont meet my requirements for what i think is ethical ) most BYB do not offer health testing or genetic screening, so while the puppy and the bitch/ dog may be raised well it is difficult to know that the pups aren't going to later have any number of genetic health issues come up. i would also cautiously say that it isnt possible to breed a new breed/ mix ethically as we cannot make any guarantees about health as we wont know for generations what that mix may have associatiated with it.

Thanks for the reply Fuzzy if i stay the dog goes unfortunately. She is a foster and was only taken on as such but she has felt like my dog since the second I laid eyes on her long before I even knew she needed rescue. The relationship is good but has its issues and I'm not sure if it's going to last. Would be devastated it I moved her on and then 6 mths down the track beame single anyway! Lots of questions and pondering to be had, but at least the big consideration is whether the lifestyle I could give her in that situation would be fair on her lol, i tell anyone with me that if they make me choose ill choose the dog ;) so far none have put themselves in that position .. i think then it comes down to working out two things and adressing them as seperate issues, one is the relationship, how long do you see it lasting for, can you see yourself happy and would it cause more issues if you gave up the dog and then blamed your partner for making you do that.. the second issue becomes about quality of life for the dog, if she feels like your dog id suggest you adopt her and treat her as your dog. there are MANY options for those who work long hours and need a little help balancing that with their pets needs, there are doggy day care facilities and also people as i mentioned who will come in and do one on one play and walking with your dog for a fee youll find that if youre long term and requiring more than just an occasional drop in for 30 min they may work out a rate you pay for their services monthly or fortnightly etc and offer a more complete package to help as they too will bond with your pup and they enjoy working with dogs they get to know, your dog will also enjoy having extra 'pack' in its life and wont resent you at all for that. you will need to assess how much of your down time you are willing to devote to your dog. if you are ok with spending those days you dont work at the club training or at the park, how you can fit quality time in as well as work and time to do the things you want to do that may not always be appropriate for a dog. dogs are hugely adaptable and youll find most would rather stay in their home with their pack than be moved around as they dont understand that very well. also as she is with a rescue there is the possibility of putting her back up for adoption and keeping her as foster should you feel she isnt coping and they will help place her you *may* even be able to ask she is rehomed near you/ talk to potential new owners about the possibility of visiting occasionally and staying in touch which would be an option if you continued your relationship too im sorry if im not much help here im fortunate enough that i have never been in this position so can only offer so much in terms of advice. perhaps if you wanted to see how valid it would be in terms of cost etc of keeping her on your own and having someone visit you could start looking at those services now? if the costs are unrealistic that may help your decision or you could also start talking to your partner about the relationship and seeing about his/her thoughts on the matter which may give you a better idea about where youll be in a few months time (for better or worse ) whatever you decide i hope it works out well for you and your pup, best of luck and let us know how you go

It would be nice if the breeder could get the dog back if it gets surrendered but not here in SA, unless its picked up in a private rescue. They won't give it us back I desex, vaccinate, microchip & pray it never happens. I still do a note on the form though useless as it may be. Most of the x breeds I saw here, when I used to look ages ago, were guess what it could be & we tag it. Mostly staffy, german shepherd, heeler, kelpie, lab or rottie if it had any pattern remotely resembling one. Mainly medium to large mongrels. that seems such a waste surely if the breeder is willing to take the dog back and it has been surrendered by its owners then it should be able to be released why stop breeders from trying to do the right thing? especially as its cheaper for the pound/ rescue and better for the dog.. very backwards rules there. does that mean breeders have to pay to get the dog back? or simply mean the dog is left there and they hope for the best?

It depends, some I inform and hope that it sticks, though the angle I use for lack of better word varies depending on what I think may be more effective. And some I walk away shaking my head at. My boy is desexed but I know some of my friends have even been sworn at for refusing to lend out their dogs for breeding services :/

That was the Weston Woden Animal Hospital. The RSPCA in Canberra also burnt down and people risked their lives to save the animals. I think the ones they could not find foster homes for ended up in empty cages at the zoo. People do amazing things for animals lol @ dogs in a zoo though I am glad they found somewhere for them to stay happy fuzzy feelings knowing not everyone puts dogs behind humans

When they say outside do they mean outside while noone is home? Or outside full time? Dogs are pack animals they need to be with their pack or they get very lonely what's the point if you're going to leave it outside away from the family? Once the novelty wears off that poor dog will likely be left to it's own devices

how horrible, very sad to see breed profiling being used even in spite of common sense and practicality. I hope they find a way around this and someone steps in to help that or I'd be moving how ridiculous.

I think it would depend on the dog, if pup is happy being alone for that long then that's great if they require checking could you look into having a walker come part way through the Day to check in and have a play? There are ways to manage this without staying in a relationship you don't enjoy/ no longer wish to be a part of and whilst it's admirable you want to make sure the dog is ok I'd worry about resentment building if you stayed purely for that reason/ if that was the driving reason.

Wow, I didn't know they existed at all, I know someone here had taken in a few who had ended up in less than ideal homes. I'll look them up Eta: Aus shep e-mail list?

That's heartbreaking obviously I'm going on personal experience as there aren't studies but those with pedigree dogs who initially pay in the higher hundreds and up would be more inclined to seek out medical care as needed and less likely to dump such a significant investment. I cannot understand how it's easier to dump at a pound when many rescues will even negotiate to pick up the dog and go above and beyond to help those they can. People make no sense

Is this for fear of being judged perhaps? I'd definitely call a breed rescue first for assistance as I'm sure many have wait lists (and thus hopefully a suitable home waiting)

I don't think they're dumped just because they're crossbred though? Plenty of people have crossbred dogs which meet expectations with appropriate training. Im sure there's plenty of purebred dog owners who have issues with dogs they haven't put training in to as well. Maybe spending a decent amount of money on a purebred dog and making an effort to source one, also helps lessen the dump rate? In saying that the oodles which seem to be everywhere, don't seem to end up dumped much unlike the staffie/bull/working dog crosses you commonly see. Its hard not to consider the fact that some breeders might keep one puppy from a litter of twelve and sell the rest as pets. Thats 11 puppies going out to the public (hopefully to be neutured) which weren't good enough to better the breed. I don't think anyone should feel guilty for buying from an ethical registered breeder, but I don't agree that all crossbreds are going to be unsuitable in every way and end up dumped in the pound. Most people can generally talk of lovely crossbred dogs they've had in their past. In most cases a dog is a dog and the end result is the effort you put in to it. IMO of course :D I wasn't trying to say that cross breeds aren't lovely dogs and I agree it's about what you put into it. But those who breed crosses or have whoops litters are less likely to care about how informed the buyer is or where that dog ends up. The buyer is less likely to put a high value on that dog and more likely to encounter issues if it's an impulse buy. Cross breeds are often lovely dogs, and end up making beautiful additions to families many of our beloved pure bred dogs started as mixes. But we cannot deny the higher incidences of cross breeds being found dumped in pounds and with rescues nor can we ignore the difficulty and lack of predictability with traits that someone looks for ie the labradoodle that sheds instead of being low allergenic despite promises from 'breeders' the unfortunates that end up with the worst inherited problems of both breeds or those who have problems simply because of the ridiculous mix ie a corgie x lab who had the corgi legs with a lab body and thus many difficulties with his legs being under alot of stress. That one litter may only have one puppy kept for breeding, others will go on to be shown and many will be pets in happy homes that are generally checked for suitability (I'd like to think) and I'd hope sold on desexing contracts to avoid them being bred. Of that litter every one will be placed in a home who has some awareness of the breed knows what comes with that and the support of the breeder should any issues arise, genetic conditions are tested for and eventually bred out and often money is returned or puppy can be returned if there is a major health concern as a result of breeding. Breeding is not something just anyone should get into and I stand by my comment about ethical breeders breeding for the betterment of their breed not just to produce cute little puppies for sale.. Even registered breeders who do that I wouldn't consider ethical.

mutley maters If my breed had a breed specific rescue I would but thankfully not Many end up in rescue and I'm not interested in a mix I imagine for some the unknown history would deter as that brings some risks with it unfortunately. You can carefully test a dog and still not find that random trigger that will change them to a completely different dog.

That's brilliant! I'd never heard of using a bell I may try that with next puppy

If you truly believe that then perhaps you need to reacquaint yourself with the ethos of this forum I agree This is a pure breed dog forum, the only ethical reason to breed is for the betterment of your chosen breed IMO not to add to an already overpopulated world with more cross breeds that will likely end up dumped as they don't meet the expectations of their new owners. I understand you chose to buy from a non registered/ pedigree breeder and that's fine but ethical breeding is a lot more than how you treat your dogs/ raise puppies. I dont beleive peopel who breed cross breds are breeders - they just breed dogs - anyone can do that. Well they breed which would make them breeders just not good ones. We call back yard breeders breeders afterall I do wish we could seperate ethical registered breeders as it's so common to hear oh well my breeder said this when really it's just someone who happened to have a male and a female dog and no real knowledge or experience

Ill add my voice to the supporters of older dog adoptions they really are hidden gems but with children that age I'd look for a breeder who already has kids when looking for an older dog. I'd Also suggest going to a club and talking to owners with the breed they'll give the ins and outs of owning that breed and what it's like to work and train with them. If you've already let one puppy down I'd be hesitant to get another so soon.

That doesn't sound too impractical and I'd like to hope the dogs would have a better chance than when shut in a kennel.

If you truly believe that then perhaps you need to reacquaint yourself with the ethos of this forum I agree This is a pure breed dog forum, the only ethical reason to breed is for the betterment of your chosen breed IMO not to add to an already overpopulated world with more cross breeds that will likely end up dumped as they don't meet the expectations of their new owners. I understand you chose to buy from a non registered/ pedigree breeder and that's fine but ethical breeding is a lot more than how you treat your dogs/ raise puppies.

Yay so glad to hear that. Merry Christmas little guy good luck in your new home

Poor guy.. Clearly a good 'owner' if his first thought was of his dogs we need more people like that in the world. Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery and hopefully his pups go easy on poor dad for a while