DogsAndTheMob

Where did you get that statistic? Is it a current statistic for Australia? It’s over half the number for the whole of the USA. My understanding is that euthanasia rates have dropped dramatically. Tweed Shire Council, for example, reports a drop in euthanasia rates from 196 in 2010/11 to 28 in 2019/20. The RSPCA also reports a drop in both dogs coming into care and the proportion euthanased. They state that they euthanased 3466 dogs in the 2019/20 financial year. I wish the number was lower, but I doubt if it could ever humanely be zero. I’ve been looking for a dog for an elderly relative, with no success. Almost all the dogs that I’ve seen are boisterous, young large-breed dogs that are not suitable for every home.

If possible, get a dog from a breeder who is currently competing successfully in the show ring. Tell the breeder what your goals are; he/she may be willing to sell you a show-quality pup and mentor you through the process. Competing in both conformation and other disciplines (“dog sports”) is a lot of fun. I’ve competed in Obedience and Rally with the traditional breeds but I’ve actually enjoyed it more with my non-traditional breeds. I’m not aware of many Havanese competing in dog sports in Australia but I can think of no reason why they wouldn’t excel at it. Here are are links to two US-based dog sports Facebook pages for Havanese owners. https://www.facebook.com/groups/6789076422409 https://www.facebook.com/AgilityHavanese/

This is not a new story but very sad, and I saw on a Brittany page that the accused has appeared in court but refuses to say where the puppy is. Maybe someone here has seen something. https://mypolice.qld.gov.au/moreton/2021/08/30/dog-stealing-arrest-moreton/ Dog stealing arrest, Moreton Senior Constable Jo Arthur on Aug 30, 2021 @ 4:03pm On August 20 between 8am and 11am a six month old Brittany Spaniel dog by the name of Blue Bell (Blue) went missing from her residence at Wade Road, Bellmere. Blue is the assistance dog of a seven year old Bellmere boy, Xavier. She is his beloved new friend who has been working to help him to help with his anxiety. She was to start her intensive training in September. In the short few months that Blue had been in his life she had already worked out how to make him smile. Police from Caboolture executed a search warrant at a Wade Road, Bellmere address earlier today. A 62-year-old Bellmere woman has been charged with stealing. She will appear in the Caboolture Magistrates Court on September 28. Unfortunately Blue was not located at the address and is still not found. Xavier’s mum would like to offer the following to the public, “We would like to thank all the members of the public who have taken time to share the posts and pass Blue’s details around. We would ask that people continue to share her details until we learn anything of her whereabouts and well being, to bring her home in any capacity. Please help us bring Blue home to where she belongs.” Police are appealing to the public to come forward if they believe they may know the whereabouts of Blue.

I googled and found the Intensity dilution, which affects some sighthound breeds. Maybe this? https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/intensity-dog He’s beautiful, regardless.

Yes. Thoughtful breeders are an even more endangered “species” than well bred dogs. I think splitting dog breeding enthusiasts into more and more separate and often opposing interest groups will do greater harm than good. Also, although I don’t think the pedigree show dog fraternity has all the answers, I don’t see the benefit of creating new “breeds”. There’s a lot of propaganda about poodle crosses and I doubt if many cooperatives would have sufficient knowledge and resources to stabilise type or temperament and also avoid creating new inbred populations with their own lists of genetic susceptibility to disease.

He’s gorgeous. That combination of dark eyes against the cream and white is just so special.Genetically,what’s the difference between cream and fawn in whippets? Is cream ee and fawn Ay__? How about Brûlée for the name?

Found it! It was the transcript of a podcast. I’ve just read to the end and I don’t agree with the author’s solution, but I’m glad that people are seeing the problem and looking for solutions. https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/blog/e225-jessica-hekman-phd-where-will-the-good-dogs-come-from

It’s not just a problem in Australia. I was reading a blog by a US vet on the puppy shortage over there. I wish I could find the link; I think you’d find it fascinating @moosmum - it mirrors many of the things you’ve written. One fact that astounded me... over 1,000,000 dogs are imported into the USA every year to meet demand.

I’m planning to buy a puppy next year and I feel your pain about price. But there are good reasons why prices have increased dramatically. Responsible breeders need to screen their breeding dogs for an ever-increasing array of medical conditions - hip and elbow dysplasia, heart disease, eye disease (often screened annually for life) and various breed specific conditions screened by DNA testing. I wouldn’t want to go to a breeder who didn’t do this screening. Dobermans are susceptible to a heart condition called dilated cardiomyopathy. Medication to treat this could cost $100 plus a month for life. Heart surgery could cost $10000 to $20000. Hip and elbow dysplasia may also require expensive surgery; one vet in Australia is quoting $8200 per hip for a “uncomplicated” hip replacement. From a breeder’s perspective, not only is the screening and potential treatment expensive, it also means that they may buy a puppy, spend considerable money raising it and getting its Championship and/or other titles, then find it’s unsuitable for breeding. The veterinary costs associated with a litter have also increased hugely. I was shocked to discover that some breeders now routinely schedule caesareans for their bitches to avoid the greater cost of unscheduled Caesarians. The vastly improved diagnostic and treatment options for sick puppies are wonderful, but they come at a cost. I know of a breeder in the US who was quoted US$50,000, as an upfront fee before the vet would even start treating the pups for parvovirus. In many areas, state or council regulations require breeders to install expensive kennelling, with items like temperature controlled kennelling and isolation rooms for sick dogs. Social expectations are changing. There’s an increasing expectation that breeders will be responsible for their puppies for life, and willing to take them back, pay for veterinary treatment and rehome them (or keep them if they’re not rehomeable). Anyone who breeds a litter now faces an unknown future... what will their legal responsibilities for those puppies be in 10 or 15 years. The need for two incomes to pay the mortgage means that many breeders need to take (often unpaid) time off work to supervise the bitch and puppies. I could go on but, in reality, that’s all irrelevant from my perspective as a puppy purchaser. The truth is that it’s a seller’s market; I can pay the breeder’s price, or I can go without a puppy. Those are my choices.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-58423967 “Pet abduction is to be made a criminal offence in England after a rise in reported thefts during Covid lockdowns. Theft of a pet is currently treated as a loss of an owner's property, but ministers want a new law to acknowledge the emotional distress it can cause.”

It’s often difficult to keep weight on young, energetic dogs like Brittanies, and it’s better for them to be too lean rather than too fat. However, I would expect a 15 month old Brittany to weigh more than 13.7 kg. I agree with this. Some dog foods are bulked up with fillers that seem to just “pass through”. Consider switching or supplementing foods. As meat has become more expensive, dog food manufacturers have replaced meat protein with protein from legumes such as peas, so I like to mix a few high-quality kibbles that have different protein sources, in case one product is deficient in an amino acid or other essential ingredient. Your pup should be developing muscle as well as maintaining some reserves of fat (but not too much), so look for foods that are fairly high in protein and not too low in fat. Meat offcuts and raw meaty bones are a good way to supplement commercial raw foods while maintaining the recommended ratio of 70% muscle meat/heart muscle/fat, 10% bone and 20% vegetables/fruit/seeds/organ meat. Also look at quality exercise. Young Brittanies are very active and “run the fat off” but the right sort of exercise should build muscle instead. Opportunities to swim, sprint, explore rough terrain and play with other young dogs of similar size and breed are preferable to leash walking/running and other forced exercise, although as a fellow Brittany-owner I know how difficult it is to find secure exercise areas where they won’t follow their noses into danger. Finally, make sure your dog is regularly treated with a good all-wormer. Worms can make dogs lose weight quickly.

If you draw a line from the highest point of the shoulder to the chest and from there to the elbow, it should form a right angle at the chest, with the sternum forward of the front of the forelegs. In theory, a dog which is straight in shoulder has a shorter stride and may be vulnerable to jarring impacts as it runs and jumps. Here’s an article which discusses shoulder angulation much better than I can. https://gordonsetterexpert.org/2015/07/30/straight-shoulders-dont-reach-heres-why/ To my eye, the pup in the photos above doesn’t have much forechest and looks straight in the shoulders. I’m not sure what’s typical of this breed at this age, but I found some lovely photos of a youngster on this breeder’s website for comparison. http://anthonyclare.weebly.com/conghal-irish-wolfhounds.html I’m guessing that one’s a pick-of-the-litter pup which has had the best of nutrition and appropriate exercise for muscular development.

I’ve seen a few around the show ring but I’m not an expert on the breed and it’s hard to judge from photos of a half-grown pup. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was a purebred Irish Wolfhound. At six months old, I wouldn’t expect him to have the coat characteristics of an adult dog and, from what I’ve read, white hairs on the chest tend to occur as a fairly random consequence of in-utero development of pigmentation. He seems a bit narrow in the chest, which may also be just due to his age, and a bit straight in the shoulders, which is a fairly common conformation fault in many breeds.

Honestly? I have internal fences to keep my dogs away from the front fence. Access to the front fence would make my dogs vulnerable to people harassing them or throwing baits over the fence. I also don’t want them developing the anxieties and bad habits they’d get from fence running. My neighbours across the road let their dogs run and bark along their front fence. When those neighbours had an emergency I didn’t know to go to their aid, because their dogs’ barking was just a routine occurrence.

I’m delighted to see him looking so happy.

Sorry, I just re-read your post and realised that the logistics of setting up in a new place with a dog may be a problem. Would it possible to leave her with your ex when you move, then reassess once you have settled in?

In the late 1980s, I flew to NZ with two 5 year old dogs (BC and GSD). I returned 5 years later with both dogs. I didn’t expect or encounter any difficulties. The dogs were transported on the planes I traveled on, and I collected them after clearing quarantine and picking up my luggage.

Actually, there are fairly onerous and expensive legal requirements with which dog breeders in NSW must comply. https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/299803/Breeding-dogs-and-cats-code-of-practice.pdf https://ablis.business.gov.au/service/nsw/animal-welfare-code-of-practice-breeding-of-dogs-and-cats/16905

I haven’t had this problem, but here are a few suggestions... Get a vet check in case the combination of moving quickly and curving to the right is aggravating arthritis, hips or elbows. Split the figure 8 into elements ... focus on the clockwise circle with the dog on the outside. Make it fun and rewarding. If I’m not satisfied with some aspect of my dog’s heeling, I like to do lots of short sessions inside the house, rewarding with food “planted” on convenient surfaces. When practicing the clockwise circles, use an excited voice and demeanour to energise your dog. Once your dog is responding to your enthusiasm, increase your speed on the clockwise circles. Work on your dog’s understanding of the heel position. This may be weak because she’s been forging. I like to do call-to-heel drills, calling my dog to heel from all points of the clock. For these, initially I’m stationary but later I’m moving. Be very wary of using the leash to position your dog. Doing so often exacerbates lagging problems, because the dog learns that it’s more difficult for you to apply collar-pressure when she’s lagging. Video your training. You may notice something you’re doing which is making the problems worse.

It sounds as if Clive has a near-perfect life. As for Bobbin, the time may come when you need to set boundaries on her behaviour. I remember being delighted when my tiny, very timid Birman cat copied my larger cat’s behaviour in asserting authority over my large dogs. But her behaviour escalated until she greeted my German Shepherd at the front door with hisses and posturing then, when I called the dog round to the side door, chased her around the house and through the living room. I intervened with a foot stamp and “that’s enough”. She understood (cats are much smarter than dogs IMO) and after that, the only time she reacted to a dog was when she backed a newcomer into a corner, glared at him, then turned and stalked away.

I’m not sure about breeds, although I’d add Miniature Schnauzers and Clumber Spaniels to the list of possibilities. However, if I had such specific requirements I’d see if I could find a breeder who was looking to rehome a retired show dog, rather than gambling that a pup would grow up to be suitable for the job.

I agree with the OP to some extent. There’s a risk of losing capabilities if there’s no selection for them. Routine use of AI doesn’t worry me; if a breed or line of dogs loses the ability to achieve natural matings, that’s an inconvenience for breeders more than a issue that affects dogs. Routine use of Caesarean sections is different, because the breeder has no way of knowing whether that bitch could have delivered those puppies naturally. The day may come when that breeder or a breeder of subsequent puppies cannot access the vet when necessary. In that circumstance, what would happen to the bitch and puppies? COVID has shown us that we can’t take the status quo for granted. Imagine trying to organise a Caesar during lockdown or when your vet is sick - particularly in rural and regional areas where there is a shortage of vets who provide after hours and emergency services.

I use layers of VetBed as bedding. I usually buy it from stalls at dog shows but it looks like you can order it here, https://www.petnetwork.com.au/collections/premium-quality-vet-bed-dry-bed I’ve found it to be chew-proof. I recently saw a piece that had been purchased more than 30 years ago and it was almost unmarked.

I agree with Scratch. I’d also add leash-free backyard games and independent exploration of the backyard if possible. Leash-free exploration lets him choose his own pace and direction, which is good for development of muscle and coordination. Games are good for mental and physical development and will make him more attuned to you. Hide and seek games are excellent. Hide a toy or part of his dinner in the backyard and send him to “go find”. Substitute backyard activities for much of his formal walks until you have addressed the pulling issue. He shouldn’t be given too many opportunities to rehearse problematic behaviour. Teaching a dog to heel does not teach it not to pull (when not heeling). I know, because my successful obedience competition dog is naturally a puller. To stop her pulling, I needed to make the tightening leash a cue for stopping or turning back to me. I stopped as soon as the lead tightened and gradually backed up until she turned towards me. Then we went forward again. If she lunged or pulled too hard, we went straight home with her in formal heel position. That’s probably impractical for a dog as large as a Newfie, so I’d suggest working on it as an exercise indoors. Tighten the lead and at the same time use a treat to lure him back towards towards you. As soon as he loosens the lead by stepping towards you, say “Yes!” and give him the treat. Gradually fade the use of the lure until he’s turning towards you when the lead tightens without the lure. Then practice loose-lead walking around the house and yard, firstly without distractions and temptations, and later with increasing distractions and temptations. Don’t forget to practice with differing lead lengths before testing this training on walks.

Yes, I was surprised to see the Bolognese on the list because. I thought I’d seen them on show catalogues. I’ve checked the site again and it is the Australian National Kennel Council FaceBook page. The notification was posted by Tracey Barry.