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We have an invisible fence so he can run the whole yard, which is almost an acre in a small town. I have developed arthritis in my back so bad in the past year I cannot handle the dog physically and now cannot walk him on a leash as he needs. We tried a bark collar on him when he was a puppy. It worked, but he had diarrhea every time we used it. -- P.S. DEAR P.S.: You can't leave a German shepherd in a yard alone unsupervised until they are 2 or 3 years old, depending on their bloodlines. If you do, you'll develop a barking and/or guard dog aggression issue. I won't leave any dog in a yard alone unsupervised until they are adults. At the very least, without your guidance, they just learn to bark at anything. .
Rusty's long trip home
SIX months on the road and he's finally made it home. Rusty, the four-year-old bull terrier-cross, was given up for dead after disappearing from his Canberra home half a year ago. But to everyone's surprise, he has "done a Lassie" and turned up alive and well – just north of Adelaide, 1200km away. Somehow Rusty travelled across state borders to Two Wells, 40km north of Adelaide, before being picked up as a "stray dog" last weekend by the RSPCA after a call from the public. So how did the four-year-old bull terrier-cross cover the huge distance – by plane, train or an automobile? "Well one thing is for sure, he didn't walk," Rusty's owner Shane Gowen, 21, said yesterday as he celebrated the return of his "best friend" after paying $400 for the dog to be flown to Canberra from Adelaide on Friday night.
Healthy Pets Act could save millions of dollars
These people come to us from animal shelters, rescue groups, law enforcement agencies and veterinarian groups - a wide array of backgrounds united by the common goal of reducing the number of pets needlessly killed each year. But with any high-profile legislation there is always a vocal opposition as well, and in this case, breeders from across the nation have gone on the offensive. They will stop at nothing to defeat this common-sense measure - even if it means calling local Assembly members and threatening them with relocating their AKC National Championship out of Long Beach. These threats were made despite the fact that this bill very specifically and expressly exempts show dogs and animals from out of state. I commend Long Beach-area Assemblymembers Laura Richardson and Betty Karnette, who would not be bullied or intimidated by these unfortunate and undeserved threats.
Boxer Dog Receives Bravery Award
Boxer dog Cally recieved a PDSA Commendation yesterday (29 May) after she led her owner, Nick Hurle, to injured farm manager, Peter Gurney, who was pinned down by two half-tonne bales of silage at Pinner Park Farm.
The special presentation was held at Pinner PDSA shop on Bridge Street on Tuesday 29 May at 4.30pm.
Recounting the story, Nick Hurle, 60, said: "Last March I was taking my usual morning walk with Cally near Pinner Park Farm when she ran off. When she came back, she insisted that I follow her. Suddenly, I could hear a man crying out in pain and saw large plastic bales, which are normally stacked neatly, scattered across the farmyard. I ran over and realised he had been crushed by two of the bales. If it wasn't for Cally I would never have found him. I quickly rang 999."
Farm Manager, Peter Gurney, 60, said: "I was using my tractor to bring the silage down to feed the cows.
Golden Retriever Foundation donates to canine cancer campaign
The Golden Retriever Foundation has pledged $500,000 over a five-year period to the Morris Animal Foundation's Canine Cancer Campaign. In April, the MAF officially kicked off the campaign, a large-scale, $30 million initiative to cure cancer in dogs within the equivalent of a dog's lifetime of 10 to 20 years (see JAVMA, May 1, 2007, page 1287). The GRF was the first breed foundation or club to pledge a major gift to the campaign. "Cancer is the leading cause of death among Goldens, as it is among many breeds," said David Kinghorn, president of GRF. "We hope that other breed groups will follow our lead and support this important endeavor." Established in 1997 by the Golden Retriever Club of America, the GRF supports research, rescue, and education and has awarded more than $1 million in grants.
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