Two Best Dogs!

Update on this for anyone googling and getting this thread. It has been 43 days since a dog has pooped on my nature strip (or the neighbours!). Fingers crossed it stays like this. An unintended side effect, less cat poop in my front yard (usually 2-3 a day the dog finds to eat. Now about 2-3 a week) I have made a spray that is 3/4 water, 4 capfulls strong eucalyptus scented disinfectant, some oil (to keep the smell through some rain) and lavender imitation essence (250ml). Shake it about. I spray it along the borders of the nature strip and over the usual going spots once a week or after it has rained a couple of times. Observations with my dog is that she approaches, hits the smells, hesitates then walks around/away. Won't stop a dog with explosive diarrhoea but seems to be deterring the rest

I love reading about these programs coming into development. How awesome for the family and what hardworking dogs!

Hi Scootaloo, I realise you're venting over a surprise situation of the 1000questions but I wanted to point out how some of the things you are saying right now can be taken as "snobby" by a casual passer-by. Pardon the list type method, but I'm about to run out the door for the bus: 1. What's he crossed with? (he's pure Australian shepherd) (...snip...) Is he a rescue because his tail was docked? (.........no??? He was born like that?????)" Like holy crap, no my dog was very purposely bred, Using PossumCorner's words, but this could be seen as "slinging off here at those who for example do not know the name of every breed". Not everyone knows every breed and I would not consider the Aussie Shepherd a commonly known dog, let alone for people to know they can be born without a tail. It reads like you're upsetting yourself over some rather general questions? 2. I was pretty offended that my well-loved dog was accused of being a rescue If they are just asking you if your dog is a rescue, I am not sure how it is an accusation? But speaking like being asked this is an accusation does create an impression of snobbery. It's not an accusation, it's a question. It could be there was some tone, and I can see how that is annoying. I've certainly had to face some unwanted comments about my "disease ridden mongrel" and many allusions that she is going to one day snap, all said in that superior tone. But just from reading the content without any tone attached, those all seem like perfectly curious questions from someone who is unfamiliar with your chosen breed. Which isn't a crime, there are lots of breeds out there let alone the newer unfamiliar ones. Always wanted to us this emoticon I think that is me, but wanted to point out how even casual phrases can create the impression if you're trying to lure people into purebreeds

writing here so i don't forget - i should also ask about the kidney stone/tract deformity xray! and ask for ph urine strips. I was strapped for cash last time but I'm getting a bonus in the next week or so, so it'd be nice to rule those out depending on the cost. Damn this wait until next week, I'm choking here! Must not forget to get the pee samples. I got home, it smells awful and there's a damp patch on her bed. Airing out my lounge. I think I'm going to chuck this mattress after the protectors arrive and get a new one. I did make that cover to be removable. Or a trampoline bed yeah haha.

Thanks everyone when I get off this mobile I'll look them up properly. The problem first started back in October if I recall so vet and I have been testing and trying things out. The only noticeable thing was her urine ph slightly above average but no crystals. She pees fine no straining all clear not loads of peeing. I'll be grabbing more sample next week to see if ph still the case. Tried the c/d science diet etc and going grain free this weekend. Sterile tests and other stuff I don't pretend to understand XD I'll ask about a chiropractor, something I'm a little hesitant because of her tenseness over stranger touch. Not looking forward to getting home. The heat makes that bed reek. I might ditch it and look for another mattress ew!

She's likely spay incontinent (the only thing not done is an X-ray to check for a tract deformity I think? But usual suspects ruled out) It comes and goes, comes on strong in really hot weather so she's leaking like a drippy faucet this week. And the smell has become very prevalent - most noticeably on her beds and the corner of the couch she sleeps on. I've ordered some bed wetting protectors. One bed is a child's mattress. Are there ways to neutralise the smell? Would drenching it in water and putting on the line in this hot weather help? Or will it destroy the mattress? Also how to find if there are other lay-down-leaking spots I might be overlooking? The floors are wood but she is adverse to laying on them, preferring the rugs. Poor smelly little pup We are using corn silk tea btw. Idk if it is helping but she's not leaking as much as she did in the last heat wave. Keeping it up for the anti infection properties. Vet and I will discuss medication pros and cons on her visit next week.

Sometimes I miss living out rural never had any dog walking issues because rarely ever saw another dog! And could see them ages off, but in city you can't see far. But now...dogs off lead everywhere! And most are not controlled no matter what the owners claim. Especially in ON lead areas and paths where I want to walk in peace. I have to train the dog up to be 150% :/ I don't expect her not to react if physically attacked but I want her to stay calm and not retaliate if something rushes us or is rude or is following and barking its head off. And that is very hard to teach but will keep aiming towards that. Keep wishing I had gotten a place even further out. One day a hidden little house out in bush for weekend trips ;-;

Perhaps, before committing to a dog, you can take your little girl to meet some puppies of any old breed and scope out how she feels about puppies? It could be she will like the specific one you get, but if she dislikes all puppies too I think you should maybe work on building up her confidence around dogs first. Maybe take her to NZ RSPCA to have a look at the older, calm and not intimidating ones. If she's curious about them, involve her in the dog hunting process so she's excited about the upcoming dog. But I think you want to start putting her fears to rest first.

This is a new event, that is on the first or last Saturday of the month.. Located in CERES park, Brunswick. Now located in 161 Park Rd, Cheltenham VIC 3192 (I am not a staff member, just an enthusiastic attendee) It runs 10am-3pm, although some stalls start packing up earlier. There are often breed specfic meet ups! It features different stalls that include dog treats, photographers, portrait artists, dog gear, adoption events, dog trainers etc - it will vary with each event. Dogs can get a massage. Sometimes free items or door prizes. There is also a plant nursery and a cafe a pond and lots of walking tracks with things for your dog to check out. I have not explored the new location yet. All dogs are on lead. I will only stick around to the main area and arrive late in the day when it is quiet so these are my experiences. But I have been pleasantly delighted by all the responsible owners. I've been told by the people who run it that it was most busiest around 12-1. It is quiet after 3 and also quiet at the start around 10. Overall I was impressed and relieved that it was a rather small market - although I hope for it to slowly grow. Everyone was approachable and understanding of my dog, there was a wide variety of dogs to admire. So thought others might like to know about it. I'll be returning no doubt. Great for confidence building and impulse purchases of dog stuff ;) *please note usual rules for a park apply. Dogs must be leashed, pick up after your dog and owners should evaluate on if they think their dog will behave as there's lots of people, lots of park goers, lots of prams, cyclists etc.

Haha I was so paranoid I've set up a camera system. Here is the absolute cheapest, if it is possible. Get a ye olde cheap webcam, link it up to your computer or laptop and point it at the puppy pen (you may new to move things around or get a really long usb cord. Or get a wireless webcam). Make a skype account for yourself AND for the dog. Set the dog's skype account to always accept video calls from friends. Make your two accounts friends. Download skype on phone. Ta-dah! Cheap and free webcam viewing of your dog :D More expensive, the dlink wireless baby monitors.

I would like to bring this post forward and point out that by dog fighting I meant dogs having a disagreement in the street, not two dogs out to kill each other. This thread is about public safety and the seriousness of dog attacks (surely no-one can ever forget Ayen Chol) not how often or where they are reported. And it is also about how once dogs have been declared dangerous they are released back into the community with no adequate supervision that the owners will abide by the dangerous dog provisions. I would not like to be the owners of the dog that was killed. I imagine they would justifiably feel very unsafe. It is confusing to talk about dog fighting, then saying two dogs out to kill each other do not count as fighting, especially in a thread where some dogs have killed others? Regarding your comments about the past - I disagree, these are making wide generalisations based on your own experience growing up. Your memories are directly based off your own and how often and where things are reported in the news, but it is inaccurate to claim things with certainty like "In the past if a dog was threatening (ie hackles up and growling) it would back off when yelled at or if something was thrown at it" just because you have not experienced otherwise? Which is what I think Snook is saying, that just because you never heard of it or experienced it does not mean it was not happening. These days, everyone hears about it. There is more frequency no doubt, more people and more dogs with more interactions = more opportunity for disaster. But I doubt the severity is any worse, some people get a small bite and some get their face torn off and all manner in between. It also makes records difficult because now, thanks to the internet, the frequency of dog attacks in an area are easier to calculate. Prior, we would have to go off local and regional newspapers. Which are likely to only be the most severe and unlikely to report on a dog-dog death unless it was exceptional circumstances. Which does not say it does not happen, just that word of it is unlikely to spread. What I'm getting at is, dogs genetically or behaviourally predisposed to aggression and fights(and attacks) to the death are not a recent invention, they have always been there. Some have it channelled into breeding specific types for specific sports or jobs, some just happen to pass it on. Some are just outliers. Because you mentioned what a dog would do in the past "In the past if a dog was threatening (ie hackles up and growling)", there is a list on wikipedia going all the way back to 1887 (for USA only and again, they can only go off old news articles so the further back the less records available), on dogs that did not "back off when yelled at or if something was thrown at it" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_States#Media_reports_of_fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_States They're not in huge detail but they're still quite sad to read, but show how far back people have misinterpretted a dog or a dog has had severe issues.

I wonder sometimes, as to where she came from. I don't think her fear of men is a sign of anything particularly sinister, so I wince that some regular people introduce her to others as the "dog who has been horribly abused" but I've given up protesting on that front. Pretty sure she's just an undersocialised yellow belly lol. She certainly likes short thin women (of all colours), blond women and long haired women. It could reflect where she came from, or perhaps someone in her 3 month pound stint. I would say she is thoroughly mine and I doubt she has any firm memories of where she came from or even of the pound. She does dislike enclosed cement places but I think that is more the lingering stress she felt in such an area than memories. But if say, she wasn't so strongly bonded to me as she is I would not mind. Some animals* are just not as people focussed (or one person focussed) and I am content to do things with them and let them live out their lives in a safe and loving environment. As long as the animal is happy, I am happy. *I say animal because it seems no matter the species, sometimes I have a huge person focussed one and sometimes I get one where it's more a amiable coexistence.

+2 I've donated to that one. There was a red collars to indicate spayed or vaccinated dogs if I recall? Healthy dog population helps with healthy people population. Really like that one. Guides dogs and quarantine/detection dogs. Lort smith (local vet)

I would not let them sort it out, it is risky business I think. As the owner you should be setting and enforcing boundaries with a dog that doesn't listen. My dog was an Annie but now that her confidence is up with dogs she is more of a rusty. A rude rusty. But I know she can just as easily swing back to being an Annie with a bad experience and I don't want her rudeness to upset the other dog. So I am doing a lot in teaching her to meet other dogs calmly, not jump on them in greeting, no running and intentionally knocking them over. No humping. Anything like that and I will take her away to calm down a few notches. There have been times I haven't split them fast enough and the other dog has had to tell her off for being obnoxious. Unlike rusty she seems to get the message but I do not want her to one day feel it requires retaliation and escalation. So I stop it. I also try to distract and calm down before that point where she's being too bouncy and ignoring. Other dog moving away or looking away etc. she should be responding to that not when other dog snarls. I am doing lots of calmness exercises and impulse control, on my trainers advice. Seems to be helping! I wish you luck. With all the Annie types and rusty types there is a hopefully calm, happy medium they can both learn to be.

They have just left and it was A+ better than expected :) our dogs are such good dogs to keep trying. She wants to like them but is scared ❤️

♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️ Good boy look at him go! We are going good! No barking, cowering or peeing. Asking one person for pats and only one tense almost-growl when she got herself trapped between moving other guest and couch but shook and got over it.

The big 2! What a handsome fella

I'm not so sure about teaching him how to destroy the universe ;) but glad that he is settling down!

That's a great way to work on socialising the puppies, boost a bit of work morale and raise awareness around rescue processes and the dogs within.

Wish us luck! I'm having guests over tomorrow night (+ the lightbulb man who turns out is not a scam). Specifically working on thistle's fear of people at the house. I am expecting some barking, cowering/peeing and possibly a couple of growls (I can still count them on one hand ) But I am crossing fingers she will settle in her bed, eat her food and maybe even sniff around a bit! I will see if some easy tricks at dinner will loosen her up and give her some confidence

That is disheartening to hear but you have made some progress getting past triggers, some steps in the right direction! I have not personally used this service although I know (casually) one person who just received their dog back - some trainers offer a doggie bootcamp to get your dog on the right track but it is then up to you to continue it. I am not sure if there are any near you but perhaps worth a look around?

Third from the bottom is love!

My dog started barking and growling at some people two weeks ago. She has since stopped (I hope) but here's what I was doing: - I took a break from intentional socialising training. No Wednesday soccer practice, no Thursday people sniffing, no pizza delivery guy - I returned to crossing the roads to avoid everyone and rewarded any movements forward or looking at me, when she'd turn to look or freeze is keep moving forward and use verbal (light hearted everything is fine voice) encouragement - any regulars we met she was usually okay with I asked to leave her alone and not look at her today as she is "feeling off" - I kept the lead shorter than usual but still loose so it would only go tight because I kept moving forward and shed then follow - even yesterday I was rewarding strangers going past at closer distance. She was still alert but more relaxed with a doggie friend which meant I could give her lots of praise for letting a guy go past without barking. She's returned, I hope, to her usual indifferent standoffishness which is okay with me.

I'd love to see a lineup of the differences! What a couple of cuties.

haha! According to this she is 99% blue tick coonhound XD funny