sandgrubber

I think the OP posed some great questions. No one is forcing? What about the recent praise of DOL for excluding puppy listings from people who don't compete either in show or other trials? Sorry, if you aim to produce good healthy pets with excellent temperament, you don't respect the show ring, and you make your position clear, you're going to get dumped on by the show crowd. I wish the 'recording of pedigree' function that the CC's serve could be expanded to include more information on longevity (record DEATHS as well as births), temperament, and health. I agree that the CC's should serve limited functions and try to stay out of politics. But I'd love to see them get in bed with open registries and expand the 'pedigree' to include things other than titles. I'm in the USA now, and I don't find the AKC's promo's very convincing. They also push a bunch of commercial stuff and generally, the almighty dollar has too much sway in their ranks.

This is a great example of where purism gets you in trouble. From a Chinese perspective, English speakers almost always mispronounce these words. I spent a few years and hundreds of hours in the language lab learning 'the National Language' or, as it's commonly called in English, Mandarin. The Shih may be pronounced with or without an 'r' sound at the end, depending on regional dialects/accents. Shih (in a different tone) is the verb 'to be' . . . so it's one of the first things you learn in Chinese, and if you have various teachers, you find they pronounce it either with our without the 'r' sound. If my memory serves, the 'r' is a Beijing (ie, Peking) accent. I don't know of a Chinese dialect that pronounces the 'h' as a 't'. The 'i' should be more aspirated than it would be in English, and the air hits the middle front of the palete (sp?) in a way that approaches a dove-call whistle. It takes a bit of training to pronounce the tsu/tzu, but I'm not good at describing it. Below is the best description I could find on the web. Note, Wade-Giles is an antiquated system for converting Chinese characters into the English alphabet. Note, also, the dog is Tibetan, not Chinese, and I have no idea of what the dog is called in Tibetan. from http://www.sheppards...dog_shiitzu.htm The Shih Tzu or Shih Tsu is a breed of dog originating in Tibet. The spelling "Shih Tzu", most commonly used for the breed, is according to the Wade-Giles system of romanization. The Chinese pronunciation of this name is approximately like the "sher" of "sherbet" followed immediately by the "dds" of "adds". The meaning of the breed name was originally "lion dog" because this variety of dog was bred to resemble a miniature lion. It is now often called by a homonymic name, "xi shi quan," based on the name of Xi Shi, regarded as the most beautiful woman of ancient China. p.s. Jack Russel Terrorist is great! Amusing is good! I appreciate Xolo trying to dump 'Mexican hairless', which is ugly and inaccurate, and kills historical/cultural appreciation. And I'm glad my liguistic background is inadequate to make me dismiss 'Labbie'. Please don't tell me some gross sexual connotation. I don't want to know. 'Labbie' sounds friendly. And almost all of them are.

I'm trying to decide whether to return to Australia from California. Of all the threads I've hit, this one makes me glad not to be in Oz. All we've got here is rattlesnakes, and after 18 mo on my property I have yet to see one. They are venonmous (sp?) but nothing compared to Australian snakes. The lunatic Christian sects play with them and get bitten often, then thank God that they survive. Good thing they don't have tiger snakes and browns. And rattlers are so considerate that they provide a loud warning before they strike. Good handle for training.

For further discussion see http://pedigreedogsexposed.blogspot.com/ The Bulldog Club of America makes a controversial claim in this week's New York Times Magazine's damning cover story on Bulldogs. Distancing itself from UK data which put the Bulldog's median age of death at just over six years old, a spokesperson for the Bulldog Club of America insists that US bulldogs are healthier than those in England. Great... so what is the average of age death for the Bulldog in America, then? Er, they don't know. No one has done the work, or not recently at least - although US vet school data gathered between 1980 and 1990 found that the average age of death in Bulldogs was just 4.6 years. But perhaps there is other data to support the BCA's claim in the article that US bulldogs are healthy? Well, no, there isn't. In fact, the OFA lists the Bulldog as the breed worst affected by hip dysplasia (over 70 per cent of dogs tested are dysplastic); and a recent paper exploring causes of death in US dogs found that the Bulldog was the breed most likely (18 per cent) to die due to respiratory problems and was only beaten by the Newfoundland as the breed most likely to die from congenital problems. The New York Times' long and thoroughly-researched article, by writer Benoit Denizet-Lewis, is a real indictment of what we have done to the Bulldog and it makes for painful reading. Breeders will no doubt find reason to dismiss the piece for including quotes from the the HSUS's Wayne Pacelle, but the testimony from expert after expert on the breed's many health woes is compelling.

well my breed is important for the correct pronumciation ( obvious reasons) but mainly out of respect for the breed and the Country of Origin, its not just a dog its a journey through history and the respect of that is part of the breed and the people who own the breed!! Personally, I like the KISS approach. I breed Labs or Labbies. Who needs to full name, anyway, especially as, in the Lab case, it's based on erroneous geography. What's the Deutsche name for a GSP? The academic in me appreciates purism. The part of me who spent years trying to get students to do things properly sees it as a vain fight against natural Babel (ie verbal entropy). I'm afraid the public won't ever get past Xolo (probably pronounced Zolo) for your breed . . . just as most Norte Americanos pronounce Popocatepetl (the volcano that threatens Mexico City), Popo. Are you sure, btw, that the way you pronounce the breed isn't a Spanish bastardisation of an Aztec word? I'm reminded of a placename that translates Mountain Mountain Mountain, in Aztec, Spanish, English, in sequence.

I'm sure they'd like to. Also sure the councils wouldn't like to spend the money. I ran a boarding kennel in an adjacent shire. Rangers were run ragged and turnover was very high. Pay, not great.

Horrible! Maddington can be a rough suburb. For a little more on the story http://www.perthnow....u-1226203688861 A WOMAN council ranger has been left with horrific leg injuries after she was attacked by two Staffordshire bull terrier crosses in Maddington at the weekend. The Gosnells Council ranger was attending the home after a resident called for help to remove two "aggressive'' dogs that had entered his yard on Sunday. In her attempt to secure the dogs, the woman was attacked and left with 13 open puncture wounds to both legs and buttocks. She also sustained bruising and required several stitches to her calf, which was torn open in the attack. In a remarkable act of bravery, the owner of the home picked up the woman and pushed her over an 8-foot fence with the help of his son, while still trying to wrestle the dogs from her legs. Paul, who did not want his surname published, said he was then faced with the two dogs in the courtyard of his home, and had to punch the dog in the face to get away. "We're talking about seconds here, you don't really have time to think. I tried to put her over the fence while the dogs were still attached to her,'' the 48-year-old said. "She said if it wasn't for me, she'd be dead. You're put in a situation like that, what choices do you have - you don't really give it a second thought. "We got her into the house and everyone that was here was trying to assist her and stop the bleeding because she was going to faint.'' The reluctant hero said he also suffered injuries in the ordeal, including a twisted wrist, injuries to his hip and bites to his legs. Police and St John ambulance arrived at the scene shortly after. The dogs, which were registered to an address in the City of Stirling, have been surrendered to Gosnells Shire rangers and will be euthanised. edited to remove extraneous stuff that came with cut and paste

I'm considering a return from the US to Oz. One thing I want to avoid is paralysis tick. I came across this map . . . wonder if it is accurate? Seems to rule out most of the east coast. http://www.animaloptions.com.au/images/graphics/tick-distribution-map.gif

Sprocket, my first rescue dog (RIP) was a tennis ball fanatic, and her chewing style was rich in the slobber department. Most people weren't impressed with her accuracy when she placed the ball in their gin and tonic. She did this several times, to different people. I confess to finding it funny . . .and worth the cost of replacing a drink.

I don't see why dog names need to be pronounced as they would be in a different language. Which of you, when you pronounce Paris, puts the accent on the second syllable? We anglicise everything else, why not dog names? As for names brought from Chinese, no hope of teaching people to get the tones right, and the tones are at least as important as the consonants.

No doubt, an unemployed worker.

What about physio? I've paid $50 to $60 for a half hour of accupuncture or message therapy, done by someone who worked out of a vet practice. I don't know what the therapist took home, but I'd guess they make well over $50k working less than 40 hrs / wk. It's hard to find a good dog therapist . . . I think because the training practice isn't straightforward.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/29724171/detail.html Occupy Denver Elects Leader: Dog Named Shelby Election Comes After Denver Mayor Asked Group To Choose Leadership DENVER -- Members of Occupy Denver sent a news release to 7NEWS this week that said they have elected a leader: Shelby, a 3-year-old border collie.The vote was a response to Denver Mayor Michael Hancock's insistence that Occupy Denver choose leadership to deal with city and state officials, according to a news release from the Occupy Denver media committee."Shelby is closer to a person than any corporation: She can bleed, she can breed, and she can show emotion," Occupy Denver quotes a Shelby supporter saying at the time of her election. Occupy Denver said it reserves the right toalter its leadership status.Shelby is expected to lead this Saturday's Occupy Denver march. Occupy Denver said other "civic-minded dogs" (and their leash-holders) are invited to join the march.The Occupy Denver group is at Civic Center Park, in front of the Capitol building on Broadway between Colfax and 14th avenues.

I can't figure out, is this private? or something the shire created? It would be good to see shires following this model, as it's going to be hard for private people to acquire a few acres of land in settled areas, and most people won't want to drive 20 km to get to the dog park.

Water bottles, or other drink bottles are great, but very noisy. They usually stay in one piece, torn, with lots of bite marks (ie, easy to clean up). I've never seen one harm a dog and my puppies have gone through dozens. For added entertainment, hang them on a rope from a tree or rafter. In hot weather, hang them partially full of water. The dog will puncture them and get sprinkled. The only problem is they produce a running and twisting sort of play . . . which I think you're trying to avoid. p.s. another cheap item that doesn't get torn to shreds and works well hung on a rope is discount paint rollers.

I'm still confused about whether this was a dog attack: or an ultra boisterous dog who bounced into some people who are terrified of dogs.

Bump. Interesting question. Hope you get some useful feedback.

I think you've stumbled upon something very interesting, Mita. I wonder if a DVD featuring dogs playing, high in positive vocalisations and perhaps with some kind of accompanying product that emitted a variety of interesting scents would make for a good Canine entertainment pack. It would be lots of fun. A DVD could be produced for a few bucks. . . . and might make a great stocking stuffer. Or the whole thing could be compiled on one of the many audio sites that lets you download music. Or maybe create something like a blog or wiki that allows contributing sound bites and then having someone assemble the lot. Is there anyone listening that is tech savvy enough to help push this along? I only know enough to know it should be pretty easy, but there are too many options . . . I feel like I'm ordering from a Chinese menu with no English translations. I know my smart phone does great sound recordings and I can download apps to work in many formats. Anyone else interested in contributing dog recordings if we can come up with specs for format?

Hey, Stone, this thread is about antisocial dog behaviour, and you moved it on to a tangent by blaming the problem on cross breeding, which is somehow supposed to ruin temperament and produce out-of-control dogs. Would you please explain what pedigree breeders do, and what ANKC standards require them to do, to ensure that dogs have stable temperament. Thanks.

Exactly, and if they eat enough of it, liver damage will result too. +2. I only used the stuff once (on bulbs) cause it had the effect that my dogs systematically dug up all the bulbs I had planted and got upset tummies from eating the combination of dirt and blood and bone.

Yup! Your reading comprehension is poor. You are extrapolating without justification. What "appears to you" is not what I said. The ANKC CoE governs what a registered breeder does, not what they are allowed to think (or observe). Abiding by rules does not require that you treat them as God-given ('Thou shalt not' . . . where, other than in religiously inspired writing, mostly from one or two centuries ago, do you see use of thee and thou?). I am entirely within the CoE. I breed pedigree purebred dogs and do required and some not-required health testing. I simply observe that some people breeding crossbreeds are using higher temperament standards than some people breeding pedigree dogs for show purposes. The pedigree system records NO information about temperament, nor does the CoE forbid breeding from a dog with unsound temperament. My respect for the ANKC is lower because this is that case. apologies for this getting to the margin of the topic and getting somewhat agro after being accused of advocating X-breeding. The main point here is that pedigree/purebred dog breeders are not in a position to play holier than thou on the issue of temperament. The strongest position the ANKC takes on temperament is weak:" A member shall positively enhance the reputation of dog breeders and owners by ensuring that dogs owned by the member are not a danger or nuisance to the community. (CoE). Some breeds have seen considerable propagation of bad temperament due to breeders putting temperament low on their list of priorities.

My two vocalize, loud, when they play. It's funny to listen to. I'd love to be able to post some MP3 of the noises they make. And I think it would be hilarious to download some sounds from other people's dogs to watch what mine do when I play them. I don't think we can do this here, can we?

In my house, tick watch is done during morning cuddles using the finger tip method, but extending it to a little training . . . eg, playing with the hair between the pads on the feet and pulling back lips to bare teeth. It's really good to desensitize your dog to these things so if they do have a mouth or foot problem, they won't freak out and bite, or jerk all over the place, you when you go to look. I do two dogs (Labradors) in about 15 minutes. They love the exercise. chest and armpits are the worst places, but don't neglect ears, eyelids, base of the tail. I don't know how many times my fingers have mistaken a nipple for a tick . . . if you do it in the dark, you gotta pay attention to where your fingers are.

Have you ever consider this is not the right forum for breeders of xbreed mongrels. You knowledge of animal husbandry appears to be very limited. I'm totally in the pure breed / pedigree camp, but agree with KatrinaM. There are backyarders I would fault for not doing genetic tests, etc., but who breed primarily because their dogs have been fantastic companions and they and some friends want a pup . . . as well as backyarders who end out with pups through carelessness . .. and those who try to get the perfect teacup -oodle. . . and those who breed FOR aggression. But many pedigree breeders will use a Gr Ch with known temperament faults, and some breeds seem to have gone downhill in the temperament spectrum (eg, the rash of aggressive Golden retrievers) through bad breeding. I would say this is a good reason NOT to get a pup from a petshop . . . . cause there's no way to find out what the sire and dam's temperament were like. I'm with TheCoat, I don't support deliberate byb for any reason. Accidental is bad enough, deliberate is diabolical. I don't know of any registered breeder that does & am really surprised to hear of an advocate of the registered pure breed fraternity that would. Working dog people, working working dogs i.e. are proud & protective of their reputations for quality & wouldn't just pump out any old any old either. Sometimes I can't figure out whether people are one short of a sixpack, or just so enthusiastic about casting judgement that they attack without reading. Stone, it would be interesting to know how you did on reading comprehension tests in school? I did not say I support X-breeding or BYB's. I did say that some BYB'rs breed for temperament . . . some of them do it well. Others are careless, indiscriminate, or deliberately breed for antisocial behaviour. I also noted that there is room for improvement in the pedigree dog world. Many people put temperament too far down on their list of priorities. Some breeds have suffered temperament deterioration due to breeding choices that ignore temperament. Do you understand the distinction?

The same issue exists for words such as 'love' or 'aggressive'. I agree that 'energetic' and 'high drive' are not synonyms. Puppies are often highly energetic, but lack the focus that goes with drive. To me 'drive' implies focussed energy . . . which is often energy that a novice dog owner is likely to have a hard time handling. . . but which a skilled person can transfer to doing a job. Its' best if the 'drive' is described in terms of its focus, eg, prey drive, herding drive, play drive. (I'm a little ambivalent about 'food drive'). But I think it's a good thing for novices to know the word 'drive' even if they use it badly . . . merely knowing the word opens the mind to learning the difference between energetic and high drive.