sandgrubber

The science here is complicated. X-breeds -> more potentially problematic genes, but and much reduced frequencies due to dilution effects. Yes, it's a mess for genetic testing. But lets face it, the genetic testing available to us now isn't all that hot. For the most part we pay separately for each individual test, and not tests are available for many serious or very common concerns (HD, OCD, patellas, epilepsy, skin problems, cancer . .. name your breed and pick your problem). The big potential gains via the genetic testing route will come when we have reliable ensemble tests applicable to all breeds.

If I were younger I would seriously consider working on new breed creation. I figure you have to have at least 20 years and a lot of resources to pull it off . . . or a good group of likeminded people. I don't think existing breeds fit all 'market' needs. Breed standards simply don't let dogs evolve to suite new geography and new tastes. eg, as a Labrador breeder in Australia I often hit people looking for Lab x kelpies. Lab for temperament. Kelpie to make the dog less heat sensitive, and maybe a little less prone to shedding and gluttony. I've heard the Australian defense forces particularly looked for Lab x kelpies for tracking work in Vietnam. In general, many of the wonderful coated Northern breeds could stand to be reworked to make them more fit for hot climates. eg., There's a lot of demand for the dog who is like a pug or Frenchie in temperament, but without the breathing, eye, skeletal, and whelping problems. Iggies and whippets sort of work, but not everyone likes the greyhound look.

Are you sure they are fighting and not play fighting. I have neighbors whose dogs sort of attack one another when I walk past with my dogs. It's annoying and loud but they never hurt one another. I think it's more play than serious fighting. I remember reading a book about sled dogs where the author flat out stated that they like to fight. I think this is true of many dogs. (not mine, thanks to doG).

Bad question! It implies that pet quality is a reject. Some dogs, including many small terriers (terriors) are unfit to be pets due to excessively aggressive temperament. Some such dogs might make good ratters, but they are a menace in the average home. Breeders who sell dogs as pets should actively work to make sure their pups make good pets, and are matched to the puppy buyer's needs. With many breeders treating 'pet' as a reject category, it's no surprise that the general public has developed a low opinion of breeders. <div><br></div><div>p.s. Nothing personal. I doubt the OP meant the question the way I interpreted it. But the pedigree dog world must get out of the habit of thinking of pets as rejects.</div>

I usually just refuse. I occasionally bother to explain that I plan my donations rather than giving them in shops. No point to get into debating the value of this or that rescue outfit in the store.

Thanks everybody! T. virginiana has an erect flower stalk that may get as tall as 400 mm. It doesn't like mowing, but seems to have developed resistance to roundup. I am sure it would do well in Eastern Australia. Pretty blue flower, looks lovely growing in the field and along roadsides. If you see anyone growing Virginia spiderwort, ask them not to. I spray my fencelines and virginiana is practically the only thing growing on the fence. The other species we have just goes to ground when you mow. Guess I'll have to get out the spray bottle. Hard when your dog yard is a couple acres.

There have been many studies, eg., of breed as affecting temperament. These tend to show, as most pedigree dog people will tell you, that some temperament features vary greatly between breeds. They also vary within breeds, and can be shaped by training. I particularly like the work of Svartberg because the sample size is huge and dogs were assessed by trained evaluators in a laboratory, as opposed to surveys of owners. I hope this link still works. Breed-typical behaviour in dogs—Historical remnants or recent ... homepage.psy.utexas.edu/.../Animal%20Personality%20PDFs/... /Svartbu...‎ People's opinions are a dubious source on this subject as many people filter their observations by their agendas. Eg, if you have dogs who may be threatened by breed specific legislation you tend to downplay 'nature' . . . but if you are breeding dogs specifically for herding you tend to work hard to breed 'nature' in to your dogs.

I've concluded that the reason my dogs are so itchy is because Tradescantia virginiana, aka Virginia spiderwort, a close relative of Wandering dew/Jew is all over my property; it's having a bumper year, and is now in full bloom. There's no hope of getting rid of it all this year. I think I'll be able to greatly reduce numbers in coming years by mowing close and weed eating around the margins. (Unfortunately, it seems to be naturally RoundUp ready, and poisoning won't help). Question: What to do this year? Are the dogs still going to react to cut flower stalks and leaves? Will the allergy-provoking compounds go away as the stalks wither, rot, and dry? (It's starting to get hot here . . . .daytime temps hitting 32 or 33 . . . we can expect periodic rain). Is the problem likely to subside as the flowering plants die back, as they do each year. I've got Calendula on order (and some seeds in the ground) and will try bathing the dogs in tea solutions. Is it worth dosing them with Benedryl or some such?

OP: Also there is are a lot of comments about finding a good breeder. Can anyone steer me in the right direction? I have looked on dogzonline but any additional advice would be welcomed. Figure out what is important to you and study the breed; not just the standard, but also what people say about it. Get together a list of your priorities and concerns: most breeds show a range of temperaments. Where on that range do you want your dog to be? What health/grooming concerns are you most worried about? Don't forget things for which there are not obvious tests, like allergies; I also like to ask about health of related dogs (grand and great grand sire/dam, brothers and sisters, etc.). A good breeder should know these things. When you speak with breeders, ask them to describe the ideal toward which they are breeding BEFORE you tell them what you're looking for (some people tell you what you want to hear). Make sure to get them to touch on the things you find most important or worrisome. Try to find a breeder whose aims and priorities match your own. I hate it when breeders talk about show vs. pet quality . . . and would avoid breeders who are so obsessed with the ring that pet = reject for them. If your question is more about how to get started looking, I'd try the breed club and talk with a few people who have been around the breed for a long time. They may be able or willing to give you suggestions, directly. But it's just as good if they can refer you to breeders who share your priorities/concerns for the breed and may be happy to steer you toward finding a good litter. Eg., someone who has a popular stud may not have pups available, but will know everyone who has used their dog and has litters coming. (Alternative way to do this is to go to shows and find a stud you like . . . then ask his owners what bitches he has serviced lately).

If you have a garage and don't have the stomach for a legal fight, turning the garage into a living space sounds like a good option.

The Bullarab is one. :) Rat terrier, another. Though they've now been accepted as a breed by the AKC.

Frontline is off patent and there are now several cheaper equivalents available in the US . . . check to see if you can get Fiproguard (made by SENTRY) or Pet Armor Plus. It looks like you can get it on eBay, shipped from the US. Unfortunately, fleas have become resistant to the active ingredient in many places. I find the stuff useless.

Very sorry to hear about Frodo. RIP little guy. I've lived in places in California where vinca (aka Periwinkle) went wild and grew everywhere. (We called it vinka stinka as kids). I've never heard of a dog being poisoned. Local poison control rates it as 'mildly toxic'. I hate to question you in a time of pain, but are you sure of the diagnosis? http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/periwinkle/

check for generic capstar. It's getting much more common in the US and is less than half the price (both Amazon and eBay are sources here). Try eBay or google for Nitenpyram, the active ingredient in Capstar. Sentinel is also available as a generic here.

The Lagotto is a breed rescued from near extinction. My impression is that some breeders have been using anything they can get that looks like a Lagotto, and the working aspect of the breed has not been well preserved. From what I've read, they were used for truffle hunting, but modern truffle hunters generally use other breeds, commonly Labradors. It has been many decades since they were used as gun dogs, and the ones I've met might have been used to flush game, but otherwise were not calm enough for gun dog work.

I find crates a nuisance for housekeeping and I personally don't like them. But if others want to use them, that's their decision. Crating for many hours at a time seems cruel to me, but if the dogs still happily go into their crates, it couldn't be that bad. As for the 'other' . . . I use crates for air freight, and occasionally, for taking puppies to the vet.

Breed temperaments are tendencies. There are many dogs who don't meet the breed norm, some are better, some worse. I would be very careful to learn about the temperament of both sire and dam for any of the breeds you list. I've known a fair number of both Bostons and Lagottos; there are calmer individuals and more reactive individuals in both breeds. In Australia I had a Lagotto breeder next door whose foundation bitch was super-reactive, even after months of work with a behaviorist . . . but she won lots of show ribbons. The rat terrier is starting to fill some of the Boston's niche in the US. The rattie was bred, originally, for rat killing, but also to downplay some of the terrier traits. Hence, way back there, addition of some beagle and whippet blood. (They were recently recognized as a breed . . . the cross breeding was done many many generations back). Bostons (another breed created by cross breeding, but this back around 1900) tend to be expensive cause about 90% of them require Ceasars to whelp; you can expect a long wait and a big price tag if you want to get a Boston pup in Australia.

I'm interested in this response too Ignorance of the region. I can't remember seeing an American bulldog in the 15 years I lived in Perth metro. Saw many many boxer crosses. I never lived in the east.

My dogs always wear flat leather collars, which are looser than the tick collar and lie over it. So collar chewing hits the leather. As for eating the trimmed ends, it's not hard to dispose of them in a way that makes this impossible. My dogs don't seem to find them attractive anyway. We have mostly lone star ticks here. It's quite possible that they are more responsive than your paralysis ticks. . . .and possible that ticks in Australia have developed resistance to various toxins due to widespread use of livestock drenches. Mine get in water daily, but for the most part it's in swamp and their necks usually stay dry.

Mine m(Labs) love eye contact, but not in all contexts. It has to be 'soft'. They are uncomfortable with staring and don't like it from strangers when body language is not friendly.

The level of danger to your dog may be different for different baits. Probably a good idea to get familiar with the most common ones and learn to spot their symptoms. I think it's pretty rare for dogs to suffer from relay poisoning (the technical name for getting poisoned by eating a poisoned animal), but better to be informed and know what symptoms to look for. Worth asking the neighbors if they are poisoning, and if so, with what. http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/mouse-and-rat-poison/ "There are four common active ingredients in mouse and rat poisons: long-acting anticoagulants, cholecalciferol, bromethalin, and phosphide rodenticides. Each has a totally different mechanism of action of poisoning, and not all are treated with Vitamin K1! It’s important to make sure you and your veterinarian have identified the appropriate active ingredient of the mouse and rat poison to make sure treatment is appropriate."

Thanks for replies. Wundahoo, what's the best way to take a dog's pulse? a pram for a 32 kg Lab may be out of my pushing capacity . . . if I could find one. Maybe I can rig a buggy and let the pup pull. By the time the old girl starts loosing it, she should be hitting full strength. She's inclined to pull even now with a flat collar. Give her another year and a harness, I expect she'll be fit to work like a husky.

I'd guess boxer X something, maybe staffie mix or AmStaff. Given the location, American bulldog seems exotic. Personally, I miss the old days when dogs were allowed to wander. But there has to be some way to deal with the small fraction of dogs who attack people or other animals.. . .or, rather, with their owners.

I've graduated from walking to granny-style running my dogs. Or do they call it jogging? I have three Labs, aged 9 mo, 4 yr 3 mo, and 9 yr 8 mo. I do about three miles a day. The dogs rarely get out of a trot and we stop a few times each mile. My concern is with the old girl. She's ok now, and I think the exercise probably does more good than harm. But I know how good dogs are at hiding their pain and how much they HATE being left out. What do I look for to decide when it's time to reduce her exercise? p.s. Yes, I know many of you think younger dogs shouldn't run that much, but I've exercised all my pups and have consistently ended out with excellent hips and elbows. The only high score I've gotten was from a pup that I had a friend raise . . . and she didn't exercise heavily. One of my vets told me that gradually increasing exercise that doesn't involve shocks was generally good . . . develop muscle along with bone. I've worked on that supposition and it's proven good.

I like to think this forum is about people being allowed to express concern about tje sharing of ideas that float around the internet but that have no proven history for working here, not elsewhere. Had you not decided to treat my concern with a somewhat patronising *sigh*, I'd not have responded further. If someone is deciding whether or not to use RG oil in one drop on a dog's collar because its way cheaper than Advantix, has "no adverse side effects" and is "natural", I think it only fair that they be given a word of caution about its lack of proven track record, don't you? That caution seems to be distiling into "caution, may not work". I'd say people should know that. They should also know that the impact of using RG oil in combination with other tick preventatives seems to be an unknown. I think that's important. But that's it from me. Far be it for me to rain on the parade of anyone advocating an idea for fear that dogs might suffer as result. My bad. I personally hate the idea of dousing your dogs in insecticide to keep them safe but you have to weight up the consequences of NOT doing it before you stop. Or to say it simply, If you don't like the heat, stay out of the kitchen!