So, we want a dog.......

[beautycat]

I don't have dogs but find it unbelievable people mistreat them, why have them? They shouldn't be a ferocious status symbol but part of the family, however saying that feel the same about mistreated children poor little souls

[Karma]

Storm, is that 'lead collar' one of those 'halti' things that go over the dog's nose?

Just wondering as we didn't get on with the halti, so if there was something else to try I would. What worries me more now then my poor arms is the my daft dog is 11 and I can see that he's getting abit stiff so wouldn't want him to do himself any damage when he decides to fly into a fit when he sees another dog!

[Deleted]

It's similar to the halti but less painful for the dog to wear apparently , I was advised against the halti in favour of the gentle leader.

Our dog still flies into a fit but I still have more control than other collars from which she has slipped , look it up and see what you think , if memory serves me right I think they are relatively inexpensive.

[bigbawmcgraw]

Aug 22, 2012 8:57:30 GMT Karma said:

Storm, is that 'lead collar' one of those 'halti' things that go over the dog's nose?

Just wondering as we didn't get on with the halti, so if there was something else to try I would. What worries me more now then my poor arms is the my daft dog is 11 and I can see that he's getting abit stiff so wouldn't want him to do himself any damage when he decides to fly into a fit when he sees another dog!

Karma, I had big problems with keeping my dog under control when I first got him. I tried all sorts of leads, from halti's to chokers.
The only thing that worked was the cheepest one. It's basically a length of rope with a loop on the end. It works similar to a choker but you have to make sure it's kept high up the neck, just behind the ears to be effective. If he pulls, you just give a gentle tug to the side (not backwards as that will make him worse) and this should be enough to correct him.
I've tried the Caesar Milan theory and it actually works

[Deleted]

Motormad, have you thought about contacting Lhasa Apso Rescues, they might just be able to help you help them. Or even Southern Shih-Tzu rescue. As shih-ts are very similar temperament to lhasas. We've had both breeds.

www.lhasaapsorescue.org.uk/

www.southernshihtzurescue.org.uk/

[booblay]

I've tried haltis and dogmatics and chokers and all sorts, but nothing helps. she's a little monster to walk. it seems that whenever i focus on her, keep my eyes on her, she's aware of this, and slows down a little, but as soon as i go into daydream mode, she starts pulling again. how does she do this?

i stopped with the dogmatic because it made her miserable, and i'd rather callouses on my palm to her having a miserable walk. it's for her, after all.

[Karma]

Talking about keeping all your attention on her Booblay, what I find helps when my dog is pulling is to take a couple of steps back! It does get a bit annoying and much patience needed but if you can keep it up it does work, for a while

[motormadfrosty]

Just giving this a quick bump after 4 weeks of searching. I have now got 7 bookmarked websites that I check daily but still have not found a dog.

Me, Mrs MMF and Mini MMF went to look at a shih tzu pup yesterday but it was basically being sold by a puppy farm. Awful conditions, pups locked in a cage and the seller wasn't sure what sex they were

So, if anyone in the southwest knows of a tiny dog looking for a home, drop me line.

[Perpetua]

O poor puppies MMF . . . I don't know how people can live with themselves, breeding living creatures in such awful conditions.

Heart breaking.

[fananntut]

MMF have you had a look at the Many Tears Rescue website? They are based in Camarthenshire, but foster and rehome all over the country. They do say whether or not a dog is suitable to rehome with children, other dogs and so on and so forth.

I always end up in tears looking at the site though, so you have been warned .

[hissie]

I would never entertain getting a dog from a breeder ever again. Also, for every dog that's bought from a breeder, that breeder will be able to go on and exploit the females till they can't breed anymore. Also, breeders don't just concentrate on one breed, they have a few different breeds & it's all for the money. They don't care about the dogs welfare, all they are concerned with is making as much cash as possible.

Also, for every dog bough from a breeder, one stray dog has to be put to sleep because there is no more room in the rescue center.

I have recently got a bedlington/whippet cross. He was picked up by the local dog warden & taken to kennels. He stayed there for a period of time, giving a chance for his owner to claim him. However, no one came forward so he was put up for re-homing.

Maybe call your local dog warden & inquire.

[Ratfinkz]

Sept 19, 2012 20:41:47 GMT hissie said:

I would never entertain getting a dog from a breeder ever again. Also, for every dog that's bought from a breeder, that breeder will be able to go on and exploit the females till they can't breed anymore. Also, breeders don't just concentrate on one breed, they have a few different breeds & it's all for the money. They don't care about the dogs welfare, all they are concerned with is making as much cash as possible..

Sorry but I find this judgemental and VERY wrong. Granted there are some terrible breeders who act like this, which sadly are normally puppy farms. There are however some very good breeders who put their dogs welfare above everything else, look after the puppies and stick to one dog.

I have a friend who has 6 golden retrievers and as they are show winning dogs they decided to breed to increase the gene pool and further the positive aspects of their dogs. They've had two litters so far one from each of their bitches. When the puppies are home my friends suspend everything for the first 3 weeks of their lifes including work and spend all the time with the litter, including setting up a campbed in the room and taking turns sleeping with them in case of emergency.


They are well socialised before they leave with people of all ages car trips etc and have at least one often two trips to the vet to be health checked. They go out in the car live in the house so used to all household noises.

Sadly one of their first litter was born with urinary problems and told she would cost a serious amount of money to cure and it might be best to do this. The dog had a new owner lined up but my friends said she could no longer be bought, took her back and forward to the vets and spent a lot of money they could ill afford on her by tightening their belts and going without. She is now more than a year on nearly sorted.

Ok my friends might not be the norm but I know other people just as dedicated in their own ways.

If you check the owner and specifically the litter is kennel club registered there are I guidelines they HAVE to follow

I do agree however for every puppy bought there's a dog in a shelter looking for someone to love them, hence we'll always have at least one rescue dog in the house, but there are also valid reasons for buying a purposefully bred dog, just do your homework first and ensure you find a breeder who's morals you agree with, who is kc approved (not just registered) who's litter is registered. Who can provide details of all of this and give you at least a 5 generation pedigree, whose puppies are houseraised and well socialised.

Am ashamed to say I went to a bad breeder I didn't know all this at the time, luckily our puppy is wonderful but I can't tell you the troubles we and other litter owners have had, let's just say it's involved police calls and restraining orders from her sisters owner, and much more. Also I've since found out despite previous litters being kc registered he isn't an approved breeder and sprites litter wasn't registered which despite what he told me is because he wants to over breed the bitch, he was a good friend of MY best friend though she hadn't seen him for a few years so naturally I trusted her judgement. I can't regret it because I wouldn't be without sprite but this is just to show that while you do get good breeders you NEED to do your own research first!

[motormadfrosty]

*UPDATE*

The search is over - here she is -



Meet Tilly, a 9 week old pee & poo machine

The litter was a mistake, the Mum was dogsitting for her Daughter, she separated the dogs at night, woke up with them stuck together.

Tilly's Dad is a Jack Russell X Shih Tzu and Mum is a Bichon Frise.

Now the 2 main problems are getting from A to B without being stopped by everyone and the second is she needs butching up a bit, a pink collar and my daughter "doing" her hair gets me some funny looks at walk times

Thanks again to everyone's sound advice and input on this thread, much appreciated.

MMF

[beautycat]

Gorgeous mmf lovely little girl there

[Sandra (aka Chillax)]

Awwwwwwwwwwww adorable