BarbedWire

I was also shocked when I saw this, but then I started wondering if it would have been any different if the dog in question had been a bigger dog. It would also have been awful of course but would you have felt any differently?

I hope that whoever was in the car that hit the dog were okay. The article does not mention what happened to them.

I love my old boy because he has such a sense of fun and because he taught my younger dog how to play. I love my younger dog because she is very loyal and always checks in with me first before she reacts to anything.

Am I reading this right? One of the dogs was hit by a car and the officer was bitten by the poor little dog?

If I just read that correctly then that is the most unbelievably deliberate sensationalist headline I've ever seen. I'll be contacting the paper. Just crazy.

Hope the little pup recovers well and it's owners are found!

I would be not only ringing the paper but also writing a letter if it was my breed that was being maligned. I thought journalists had a code of ethics to report accurately. If so perhaps you could also report it to the journalists association or whatever they have.

I want to thank you too Seren. I have never really told anyone about the details of my girl's passing. You have helped me here by listening and acknowledging my grief. Thankyou so much. At the time I was told she was just a dog minutes after I had learnt that she was gone.

Re another dog for you. I think it is good to get another dog when you think you are ready, but don't get one that looks like Lace.

I love the name Lace. I am sure she was a beautiful dog. It might help you to try to remember the good times more than the bad ones. Perhaps even write them down. For Lace's sake have good memories. You are so fortunate that your children have made that video. When you are ready watch it and remember the good times.

Seren I had a dog, my heart dog, I left at the vet to have her spleen removed. I expected to collect her later that day. She didn't make it. I just remember that she was shaking in the waiting room and when they came for her she did not want to go. I did not really say goodbye to her but let them take her away. My last memory is of her trembling and I did not comfort her. I have never forgiven myself. I still cry when I think about her.

The really sad part is that it was fourteen years ago and I still cry.

I feel I let her down.

You will never get over your loss. At the moment you need to grieve - and don't let anyone tell you that it was only a dog - but when the time comes let it go. Move on. I am pleased that you are trying to get another dog. I wish you well.

Thought posters might be interested.

I have just spoken with my vet and my dog has chronic bronchitis which he says is quite common in older dogs and unless it is troubling him is best left alone.

I guess my earlier question is still pertinent. When would you seek more intensive treatment for an older dog with chronic bronchitis? It is not bothering him and he loves going for walks every day.

ATM I am vacuuming everywhere to get rid of as much dust as I can which I thought might help. Any other suggestions?

I couldn't agree more Jed. I think it's time that breeders' names were included on microchips so that they can be held responsible for some of those black bags. Unfortunately most of these dogs are probably not even microchipped.

Thankyou Raineth. I understand now.

While I am at it, what about a miniature fox terrier? Is there such a breed?

Thankyou. It had erect ears and I thought fox terriers had folded ears. I thought it must be a different breed I hadn't heard about.

Recently on the rescue forum a dog was described as a wire haired terrier. I cannot find any information about such a breed either on DOL breed pages or on the internet. Does anybody know if it's a common name for another breed?

Thanks Persephone. It's my fault too. I don't hear very well and I should ask more when I have not heard accurately. It's just easier to pretend you have heard when you haven't. Often when you tell someone you can't hear properly they either start shouting, or remember to speak clearly and face you for one minute, and then revert to mumbling or whatever they were doing. I find vets like talking to their computers not their clients.

Thanks for trying to help though, and Showdog and Starkehre too.

Thankyou to those who have taken the time to read. I was really just hoping someone else had a similar problem. It is not urgent. I only notice it at night when he is sitting next to me watching telly. I am an asthmatic and it does sound like asthma. He is not distressed.

I will just have to ask the vet for more info. I have been there three times this week and I can't afford another visit unless it is super urgent, so I will just let it ride for a bit.

Yes he did listen to his chest. He was just there for his annual checkup and I mentioned the wheezing. Sorry I have never had an older dog before. He is 12 but acts and looks as if he is 2, God bless him. He is such a sweet soul. The receptionist said it is commonly known as lung changes ie in layman's language. That is the best I can do.

Thankyou. I just rang the vet and spoke to the receptionist. The vet I saw was busy, so she asked another vet who suggested that it was commonly known as lung changes. She said that as a dog aged its lung tissue hardened. Or did she say softened? It was one or the other. Sorry not a good listener :)

Hi all

I have a senior dog who sometimes wheezes and coughs when we are watching the telly together at night. When he was last at the vet I did ask him about it and he said it was a lung condition and was probably due to his age. He did name the condition but it went in one ear and out the other. He said there was a medication for it if it got bad enough.

What I want to know is if anybody else has experienced this and how bad you would let it get before you started medicating.

Thanks

Just a thought but have you considered diet. Some dogs with an allergy are hyperactive.

Good luck with it all

What caused dogs in the past to die from lead poisoning?

I think that was a polite way of saying they were shot :)

Thanks Kavik

My answer to this question is "no".

Either they don't think at enough/at all OR they think their dogs are little people and that creates its own issues.

In the olden days of dogs roaming at will etc, people bought a pup because Misty down the street had a litter or they bought from registered breeders. Now we have people pumping out pups of questionable genetic combinations and where for some breeder's the temperament of mother and father doesn't matter a damn.

In the olden days dogs that displayed aggression died of lead poisoning and never got the chance to breed. Now some owners have a lot more invested in their dogs and will try all options before PTS. We also have more powerful kinds of dogs bred and sold to people who have no knowledge or, or interest in raising those dogs appropriately.

Many people don't seem to have much understanding of dog behaviour. That's not an over thinking issue.

What caused dogs in the past to die from lead poisoning?

Quote from Hankdog

I think we have to train our dogs more because we train people less. Dogs have to be better behaved to deal with the people who are less so.

I so agree with this. The good old days when dogs roamed the streets and learnt doggy behaviour have gone, and they won't be coming back. Most Aussies live in the cities and most of them including many dog owners (DOLers excepted of course) haven't got a clue about doggy behaviour, and that's the way it is and will be. Let's face it politicians are not going to provide money for education programs either, so dog owners have to step up and be responsible and make their dogs public proof.

ETA My answer to the thread question is no. We have to keep up for our dogs' sake.

All sorted thanks

Sarsaparilla, perhaps it would benefit you to stop thinking so much about the size and breed of dogs (you have said you are scared of pit bulls and don't like small dogs) and focus on the behaviour and temperament of the individual dogs you meet. Maybe you could attend an obedience club or training classes run by a good trainer and learn more about dog behaviour and body language so you are better placed to make informed judgements.

Actually SG I have trialled successfully for many years. On my bookcase I have the following books. The other end of the leash, For the love of a dog, Calming signals (Turid Rugaas), Bones would rain from the sky, Don't shoot the dog, Control unleashed, Canine body language (Brenda Aloff) and others. I also have Alexandra Horowitz's Inside of a dog on order. From memory I said I don't particularly like small dogs. I don't know how to go back and check. I like all animals. I have owned horses for many years and I have always had dogs and I am fairly confident I am much older than you are which means I have been around dogs for a long time.

eta I have also got books by Gwen Bailey and Donaldson's Mine and a book by Koehler which I would not recommend to anyone.

eta also Morgan Spector's book on Clicker Training

Well in that case ...

DOLers, I think we've all just been PWNED here.

I do not know what PWNED means and I am not so arrogant that I am going to pretend that I do.

PWNED defined

Thankyou

Sarsaparilla, perhaps it would benefit you to stop thinking so much about the size and breed of dogs (you have said you are scared of pit bulls and don't like small dogs) and focus on the behaviour and temperament of the individual dogs you meet. Maybe you could attend an obedience club or training classes run by a good trainer and learn more about dog behaviour and body language so you are better placed to make informed judgements.

Actually SG I have trialled successfully for many years. On my bookcase I have the following books. The other end of the leash, For the love of a dog, Calming signals (Turid Rugaas), Bones would rain from the sky, Don't shoot the dog, Control unleashed, Canine body language (Brenda Aloff) and others. I also have Alexandra Horowitz's Inside of a dog on order. From memory I said I don't particularly like small dogs. I don't know how to go back and check. I like all animals. I have owned horses for many years and I have always had dogs and I am fairly confident I am much older than you are which means I have been around dogs for a long time.

eta I have also got books by Gwen Bailey and Donaldson's Mine and a book by Koehler which I would not recommend to anyone.

eta also Morgan Spector's book on Clicker Training

Well in that case ...

DOLers, I think we've all just been PWNED here.

I do not know what PWNED means and I am not so arrogant that I am going to pretend that I do.

Sarsaparilla, perhaps it would benefit you to stop thinking so much about the size and breed of dogs (you have said you are scared of pit bulls and don't like small dogs) and focus on the behaviour and temperament of the individual dogs you meet. Maybe you could attend an obedience club or training classes run by a good trainer and learn more about dog behaviour and body language so you are better placed to make informed judgements.

Actually SG I have trialled successfully for many years. On my bookcase I have the following books. The other end of the leash, For the love of a dog, Calming signals (Turid Rugaas), Bones would rain from the sky, Don't shoot the dog, Control unleashed, Canine body language (Brenda Aloff) and others. I also have Alexandra Horowitz's Inside of a dog on order. From memory I said I don't particularly like small dogs. I don't know how to go back and check. I like all animals. I have owned horses for many years and I have always had dogs and I am fairly confident I am much older than you are which means I have been around dogs for a long time.

eta I have also got books by Gwen Bailey and Donaldson's Mine and a book by Koehler which I would not recommend to anyone.

eta also Morgan Spector's book on Clicker Training