CellarDoor

Not too long ago I was waiting for class at uni, when I overheard a conversation about dogs between a group of people. One lady was saying how she owned a Husky (who sounded a few years old), and how she had done plenty of research into the breed and spoken to lots of people, as she knew they could be a difficult breed to own, and required a knowledgeable owner. She went on to say her husky was beautiful and how they were managing really well with her :) Then she was saying how she recently got a 10 month old GSD from a registered breeder. She was comparing training method/styles between the different breeds, and their unique needs. As you can imagine I was incredibly happy, and was thinking something like 'score one for responsible dog ownership!' :D ... then she said it was a shame the GSD came desexed as she was hoping he could be her Husky's 'Beau' ...How does someone go in depth into dog ownership, raising certain breeds, buying from a registered breeder, and talk in depth about different training methods, and completely miss the whole BYB thing?! It's beyond me... And just recently a friend commented it would be 'fun' to breed dogs in the future

Well, it sounds as if she's quite young (or maybe that's just due to how I'm perceiving things?) so is there another family member who can perhaps 'bring her into line'? There's room to work here yet :) so, toy poodles are both of your preferred breed? YouTube 'slipping patellas toy poodle' and 'PRA toy poodle', which, according to dog breeds 101 affects toys. Make her watch it (if possible of course!) and tell her that could happen if she gets a pup from a backyard breeder/unethical breeder/pet store. If you cannot possibly convince her otherwise, the way I see it you're going to end up being the primary carer/trainer anyway, of whatever dog you get, so maybe look into rescuing. It's certainly better than supporting bybs and pet shops. There are lots of great dogs on rescue sites, from pups to adults. And take a look at toy poodle rescues, or look at the mature dogs section of toys here on DOL. There are even people on places like gumtree selling their beloved family pet due to moving overseas or something. Don't give up! Because there are plenty more options than being forced into buying a pup from pet store or byb. The battle for doing the right thing and either buying from an ethical breeder or rescuing and saving a dogs life is tough, but it's worth it :)

Tell her...about all the genetic health testing that needs to be done for the dogs, tell her about temperament testing, and matching the sire and dam based upon genetics, temperaments and conformation, so, theoretically, you get puppies that are healthy, with nice temperaments, and who may even look better than the parents. Then tell her when you buy from a pet shop, backyard breeder or unethical breeder there is no health checks, or temperament checks, and the parents may not be of sound mind or body. Tell her that you are buying a puppy, who will be with you for many many years to come, and that it will be a massive burden (to you and the pup) if she ends up being chronically ill from a disease that an ethical breeder could have avoided, or if she ends up with a poor temperament, making every day a battle. If in doubt about a breeder, ask DOL :) someone will know, or will pick up on cues that ring alarm bells at least; and everyone on here's always happy to help. Good luck!

I 100% agree with persephone A behaviourist is the way to go, and you should definitely ask around on DOL, as there are some very experienced people on here, but from what i can see, K9Pro is a favourite :) and the best of luck too, I have a 6 year old lab and they're amazing dogs :)

I haven't read all the responses, so sorry if it just rehashes what people say :) In my uni classes we learnt, just very briefly, about how to change a persons opinion/behaviour on things like smoking etc. it was basically to let them draw their own conclusion. You could start with something like, so I heard you talking about wanting to breed your dogs? I'm curious as to why you want to breed? And continue on with this 'why'. So, if its to let their kids see the miracle of life, ask why you think kids should see that, what would happen if they saw their pet dog die, or why don't they simply youtube it (I imagine its pretty goss). Or if its for money - why do you think breeding will result in more money, even if it did last time they are lots of things that can go wrong. Really get to the nitty gritty, often people haven't really stopped to consider everything, and this can make them think. I think each situation is different, but to honestly try and change an opinion it's good to remain in a positive, 'supporting' mood. Hope it all goes well if you see them again :)

I'm afraid I have no suggestions for an actual place, but if i were to ever take my next pup to a puppy pre-school, it would look something like: a small class where dogs are not free to interact as they please (monitored and controlled interaction only), positive reinforcement, heavy emphasis on socialisation and basic training. I definitely wouldn't take your pup to a park before all vaccinations and the vet gives the go-ahead. Even then be cautious, introduce her when theres no dogs around, and slowly build up to peak hour if thats what you want. The beginnings of a recall is useful too. But definitely take her in your arms before that and get her to experience everything, cars, trains traffic, people walking by, controlled interactions with people etc. You have puppy interaction covered by puppy preschool pretty much, and for adult dogs see about having her interact with calm, stable adult dogs you know from friends, family etc. Just note that in her interactions with puppies, people and dogs, you should be the most rewarding thing in her life. So at the park, get her to check in regularly and give her treats and praise. She doesn't always have to interact with people and other dogs, let them walk by sometimes, and other times stop for a hello. Also watch out for critical periods in dogs lives, particularly the fear period. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will come along and add something :laugh: Oh, and congratulations and welcome :D

I don't really think its a good idea to generalise based upon one experience, nor is it a good idea to label a breed as inherently 'good' or 'bad'. By roughed up, do you mean rough play, aggressive behaviour, or simply putting a rambunctious pup in its place? In my (in)experience bully breeds can play quite rough, but a lot of breeds do that too. We're lucky to have a very placid lab, but she can play quite rough around certain dogs, and most of the labs and GR's down the local park can play quite rough too. I think it's impossible to avoid certain breeds based upon 'roughness', as there are a lot of factors to consider, such as age, socialisation, and the dogs ability to 'tone it down' for puppies. Our old lab many years ago use to have a bully best friend down the park and they were great :) Staffy's and such aren't seen all too often round here, but there are some friendly ones for sure. My main suggestions are to ask some people you know from the dog park about which dogs (not breeds) to avoid specifically, especially the dogs that go there often. Or go there without your puppy and watch for a while, on different days and times. Take a read up on doggy body language and how to handle a dog fight. In addition, a good recall can be invaluable. And make doggy dates with dogs you know are friendly :)

Check out the Reject Shop or Red Dot :) You could pick up a pair of fairy wings or something, maybe she could go as a ghost (with an area cut out for the head to stick through) if Lucy is amiable to having a sheet on her :) good luck and have fun!

Not too knowledgeable about this :) but our dog has sensitive skin, prone to dryness, and so we give her fish oil supplements (I hear flaxseed oil I'd great for dry skin), and also we use an oatmeal shampoo/conditioner (but we try not too over wash, which would dry out the skin). Oh, we also found she was sensitive to grains like wheat in her dry food, so switched to a rice based food. Hope this helps! :)

Hey :) congratulations on your new pup! Puppy preschool is a great tool for socialisation, but make sure it's the right one. There's lots of threads on here - just do a search - talking about what to look for in a puppy preschool; there might even be some recommendations for your area :) Make sure socialisation starts from day one, a lot of people carry their pups around before its had all its vaccinations to minimise the risk of contracting parvo (others prefer to take the pup out only after its had all vaccinations - a personal choice), and also meet vaccinated dogs, and have people over. If you do a google on something like 'socialisation checklist', it could help in giving you ideas for socialisation. Another great tool is the website 'dogstar daily', which talks about socialisation in addition to training etc. Make sure you also take note of the 'fear period'. I'm not entirely sure, but this looks like a great resource - http://www.positivedogs.com/articles/early_doesnt_mean.html I also saw this in a training thread on here, and thought it might be useful, considering you are afraid your dog will become aggressive :) http://www.suzanneclothier.com/the-articles/handling-lead-aggression So, sorry for getting a little off topic, but thought it might be useful!

I don't think any dogs would do well if the situation without some life changes on their part :) I've semi-encountered the problem - someone wanted a husky. But when i told them of their mental/physical needs they were put off thankfully :) Hankodie mentioned something similar :) what I would first attempt personally, is encourage them to make their own choice (sort of). I would briefly act all excited, then contemplative, and get them to consider how their lives will have to change due to a puppy/large breed. How it will get destructive if left alone, and will need thorough training to stop it destroying things etc. Then I would email them with a massive variety of documents on the issues you're concerned about, eg, an extensive thorough document on socialisation and how necessary it is etc. And on things like mental and physical stimulation, desexing etc. All the things you read that you found interesting/useful, even on diet. If I did this it would be in the hope they would feel overwhelmed and reconsider a dog :) might not work, or be a viable option, but worth a suggestion just in case ;) Oh, and maybe have her over for the day so she can see all the (necessary) attention and work your pup gets :)

I would record your dogs but also contact your council, and explain the situation (see about those collars perhaps) :) if your neighbour believes you aren't solving the problem quick enough, they may complain to the council, and at least if that happens you've already explained the situation to the council, and indicated you are not only aware of the problem/complaint, but are taking steps to rectify it :)

Went through same sort of thing with our dog Becky :) we restricted her water intake at like 8 in the evening or something, and at night she slept in the normal place-bedroom-but we started leaving the door shut :) from then on it seemed ok. But, she only really had her accidents at night, so maybe different situation? :)

This is all absolutely wonderful! :D I'll be sure to pass it on ASAP. Thank you everyone :)

Hey everyone, hope its been a good night for all! I've been asked to look into vets in the Brisbane area by a family member. A family they know is moving there quite soon (due to work) and are of course taking their dogs. One dog is a mix breed that they rescued, who, apparently, has the most divine temperament. Problem is, she's incontinent, as in, she's just constantly weeing, so they have to leave her outside as opposed to inside. Now, I don't know much about this, but it can apparently be fixed, but not by any vets in WA. Hence, could you please let me know of any vet in the Brisbane area that can fix this. Or, just the best vet you know of in Brisbane. The price is no issue :) Oh, and they don't know exactly where they will be moving to, but I'm sure they'll be willing to travel for the right vet! Thank you all for your time and effort!! :)