DogsAndTheMob

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has released a plan calling for reforms to the veterinary sector, to prevent pet owners being surprised by unexpected bills. i have mixed feelings about this, and the possibility of similar reforms here in Australia. Vet bills can quickly add up to thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars, which could be financially devastating… or emotionally devastating, if the alternative Is euthanasia. On the other hands, I don’t think most vet practices are making large profits, so imposing additional regulations might force some practices out of business. https://www.vettimes.com/news/business/practice-developments/cma-unveils-plan-for-major-reforms-of-veterinary-sector

I would hope that those with longtime experience could be grandfathered in, both for rescue and for the traditional boarding kennels. I know people with a lifelong interest in dogs combined with decades of experience in providing quality care, which surely outweighs a six month online course. If they drop out of the industry because of onerous new requirements, then that is likely to exacerbate the strain on over-stretched rescue and the lack of access to boarding facilities, particularly in country areas and/or during holidays.

There are substantial changes in the new ANKC Obedience rules, which will start from January 2026. Group stays have been removed from all levels, with the exception of the UD and UDX Group Stand for Examinations. Hopefully, this will bring back some of the competitors who thought that group stays were too dangerous. Also, dogs with their CDX titles can compete in UDX as well as UD. This provides a non-jumping pathway to Obedience Champion. The most substantial change to Rally competition is the introduction of a Rally Grand Champion title.

I suspect that they’d get inaccurate responses from people with unregistered dogs or more animals than allowed by council ordinances. From the POV of councils, I’d be worried that state governments might use the data to impose new Key Performance Indicators such as % of animals registered, with associated penalties. I worked in data and I saw my state’s bureaucrats develop and use KPIs in similar ways to justify withholding funding.

This is from a screenshot of the video purportedly showing Valerie’s reunion with her people. I wouldn’t expect to see toenails like that on a dog that’s been fending for itself in rocky terrain.

According to Sonia Hornery MP, money was collected through a GoFundMe campaign. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid06hZyTQtqCz3zwm1JiwCaBmzTULtvFoUauSZyPZjk4bHCyje7W3YNppmxp1MVJtETl&id=100046653323609

I thought the same initially but then I watched the video in slow motion and I’m not so sure. The brindle and white dog, in particular, seemed to be targeting the child and possibly darting in to nip. Maybe it was just excitement but I think it could have escalated to something much worse. As an aside, do the dogs have cropped ears? They don’t look like normal rose ears to me.

It sounds as if you’re doing all the right things. With my high-drive Brittany, I’ve found that management is the best long-term option. I compete with her in multiple dog sports and the daily training undoubtedly helps shift her focus to her work, to the point where she was able to complete a 25 metre sendaway then turn and sit, despite a flock of wood-ducks flying in to land about 20 metres beyond her target point. However, when she’s in the yard and the chickens are free-ranging in the paddock, her focus on them is still intense. Fenzi is running a course soon on high prey-drive dogs. In my experience, Fenzi courses are expensive but generally worth the money and I’m planning to enrol in this one at Bronze - I.e. audit it. That will allow me to read the lectures, see the videos submitted by actively participating students and read the instructor’s commentary on their videos. https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/courses/42730

This is a news story from the BBC, about organised crime and “bully” breeders in the UK. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-64346415

It’s probably worth noting that it wasn’t a Dogs NSW club or event. The mention of a banner made me wonder. (My guess is that it was an advertising banner.)

I’m not sure about that. About 60 years ago, my parents fostered two dingo pups for Eric Worrell, founder of the Australian Reptile Park. One was extremely timid around people and would leap across the furniture to its hidey-hole if anyone came into the house. The other was highly sociable and greeted everyone as a friend. I also have a photo of my mother teaching one of Eric Worrell’s adult dingos to retrieve a ball. She said it was similar to a dog in its play drive and sociability.

I’m not a breeder but I’ve spent my life around the “dog world”. I’ve had three puppies come home with health problems and spent thousands of dollars treating those problems. I didn’t ask for refunds or help with vet expenses, although I was relieved to get a refund for the puppy that died of congenital kidney disease. Actually, thinking back, I was too distraught at the time to be relieved about anything, but I was thankful later. The breed standard is someone’s ideal of perfection. Most dogs, not being machines off a production line, are not perfect. That’s why breeders spend decades striving for that breed-standard-perfect puppy. Ears often don’t align with breed standards and semi-prick ears are particularly problematic. They shouldn’t be up, they shouldn’t be down, they should fold the right way and they should stay that way all the time. Owners in search of perfection often tape the ears, as described in this blog. https://www.theink-stainedgypsy.com/2021/12/the-struggle-is-real.html

She’s a very nimble little dog who comes running at any hint of food, chases my dogs and rolls herself up in her blankets, so I doubt if pain is interfering with her housetraining. I think she was anxious outside when she first came to live with us but she’s now very keen to go outside whenever we do and she’s happy to explore or to rest in the sun outside. She’s also quite assertive when she wants to come inside again. Maybe, one day, she’ll be as assertive when she needs to go out to toilet.

That’s my goal. Yesterday, she was restless when she needed to go out, so maybe I can convert that to a request to go out.

I’m not sure that she’ll ever be 100% reliable. Unlike the puppies that I’ve housetrained, she seems to be indiscriminate about where she toilets… carpet or tiles, concrete or grass. She’s usually not fond of getting her paws wet but yesterday, she toileted on wet concrete about a metre from dry concrete, then rested in the sun on wet grass. On a more positive note, she had obviously been “holding on” later yesterday when I was out shopping. (My husband, who is usually very good with her, hadn’t thought to take her outside.