Brierley

So basic training classes?? If so, as I said before, these are available in abundance now so unless the councils are going to foot the bill for the training or the certificate gives added priviledges to the owners or the certificate is introduced as something that is compulsory, then I can't see the point. If the proposed scheme is as has been suggested, then surely the Good Citizen's Bronze award could be THE certificate and would do the same job, would have just as much interest as it has now with the only difference being that Bronze certificate could be produced by owners in areas where bans on keeping dogs in a council house property are being proposed and they would be allowed to keep one?????

Don't get it - sorry. On the one hand, it's a test the dogs have to pass, on the other, any dog unless derranged can pass it?? If the idea is truly about responsible ownership, the dog wouldn't actually need to enter into it. The owners or prospective owners would be the ones who needed the certificate, not the dog?? I'm wondering what testing the dog will achieve to be honest. I've seen the most aggressive dogs who are very well managed and a danger to no one because they have very responsible owners who have implemented strict management techniques whilst they are training their dogs. I've also seen dogs who have passed their Gold Good Citizen's Test that truly are a danger because their owners are complacent and don't administer such measures. I've seen dogs that have actually become worse through inadequate training and dogs who have been turned around by owners who have never been near a training class. I think the 'intention' is good, but hasn't been truly thought out.

So the Council's will be sponsoring the training/testing?? If not, I can't really see much difference to what is available now. Training classes abound in most areas, but only a small percentage of dog owners actually attend. Or, is the proposal that to own a dog who has the certificate it will be allowed to live in a council property and will be allowed to go in areas of restrictions? Sad to say that unless some dog owners see a definite benefit to themselves personally, ie they get something out of it, then things will be just the same as they are now. A comprehensive national database would be far more effective in the medium to long term not just to keep dogs with loving owners, but to ensure that areas that are creating problems are dealt with - be that bad breeding, bad ownership and even bad training and veterinary treatments.

So the Council's will be sponsoring the training/testing?? If not, I can't really see much difference to what is available now. Training classes abound in most areas, but only a small percentage of dog owners actually attend. Or, is the proposal that to own a dog who has the certificate it will be allowed to live in a council property and will be allowed to go in areas of restrictions? Sad to say that unless some dog owners see a definite benefit to themselves personally, ie they get something out of it, then things will be just the same as they are now. A comprehensive national database would be far more effective in the medium to long term not just to keep dogs with loving owners, but to ensure that areas that are creating problems are dealt with - be that bad breeding, bad ownership and even bad training and veterinary treatments.

Not got a lot of time to reply at the moment, but the initial worries I would have with a scheme that is so limited (sorry, it's how I see it), is that it could quite possibly lead to an extension, rather than diminishment (is that a word?) of the named dogs listed on the DDA. For example, statistics can easily be manipulated to suit whatever you want them to read. I believe that in one example Labradors are shown to be the main perpetrators of dog bites. Horrific!! How can the labrador - the people-friendly family dog be responsible for more dog bites than, lets say a Malinois, a Pit Bull, a Chow a <insert any breed you can think of>. The simple answer is that the statistics in this case do not take into account the number of labradors in the area as opposed to the number of Malinois, Pit Bulls, Chows etc, etc etc. A few years ago now, I went to a seminar given by one of the most known names in temperament testing for rescue dogs and was absolutely appalled by what I saw demonstrated. In one particular case, the dog was pushed and pushed and pushed until he eventually snapped and went in for the bite. He was so wound up by the testing that he bit the handler who put him back in the van. An extreme example, but one that none-the-less happened. The tester, in my opinion, had assessed the dog on sight and wasn't too interested in what the tests actually revealed so manipulated the test to prove the point. It can happen, it did happen!! Way too open to abuse to be viable - just my opinion and I can fully understand the sentiment behind the suggestion, but I do think that such a scheme could and very likely would lead on to more rather than less bans and restrictions. Unfortunately, many Councils are made up of folk who are not as sympathetic to dog ownership as we as trainers and owners are

So good to hear that Lenny has his own hearth again. It sounds as though he's settled well with his new owners and is happy which is all that matters!

I've often wondered about Lenny. I do hope that if he is safe and well that he will get the help he needs to adjust to homelife again (where ever that home may be). Everything crossed for a very happy ending to this one!!

I think the only thing certain in this case is a little girl is missing and, after all this time, it doesn't appear that anyone is any nearer to finding her. Surely, until the full facts emerge, recriminations can wait. Sad, all very sad!

He's come a heck of a long way, Wendy. Well done you for helping him through. This is just another hurdle to cross and you're already making headway. Keep at it, he's a lovely lad who's come on so well with a lot of help from his lovely owner!

When I go on holiday by plane, I feel really ill when the perfumes come round and are tested and the smell lingers on my clothes - perfume should be banned in public places Being over 50, I take offence when all I can hear when I do have the occasional night out is 'f'ing and blinding - swearing should be banned in public places I get worried by people who drink too much and start getting ansty - drinking should be banned in public places I could go on! We used to have a static caravan and the site club usually had bingo and the occasional 'turn'. When there was a cabaret booked, the club used to get full so the tap room (grand name for a small room with a pool table that no one ever seemed to play on) used to take the overflow from the concert room. One guy used to always make a beeline for this little room. He'd come in, throw all the windows open, complain all night about the smoke and eventually he complained to the site owner who told the landlord to make that room non-smoking. The ban lasted three weeks. The room was always empty and the guy who did all the complaining started going in the other room where smoking was allowed. The landlord ripped down the sign and the guy never once complained after that. Since then, the club has had a complete make-over and a new lounge bar (very posh) is non-smoking. No one ever goes in there, but the ban has remained simply because of the new regulations coming in. The landlord fears the club will close when the ban starts because there is very limited room outside and what there is is surrounded by caravans so you can imagine the complaints regarding noise if folk are forever tripping outside to smoke. I don't smoke in restaurants by choice, but I do find it quite funny when I see people sitting in clearly marked smoking areas complaining that people are smoking. I do think that some people go out of their way to complain on this issue. Personally, the ban won't affect me as I rarely go out and when I do, I prefer to sit outside, but I do think that the problems this total ban will bring will far outweigh any advantages. Surely, the commonsense approach would have been to let pubs/clubs etc have designated smoking rooms if they wanted to have them. Town and city centres are already 'no-go' areas for many on a Friday and Saturday night, I imagine throwing more people out onto the streets is going to make this problem much worse, Ah well, time will tell!

Night night Dylan. Have fun at the bridge where you can run free and happy until mom and dad arrive and you are all together again. Thinking of you both Kazz and Dave. No words can make it better, but know my thoughts are with you both

Most key cutting places do them cheap. They are stipulating that you have your name on because it is a legal requirement not just for the sake of it. I very much doubt that a dog warden etc would actually take anyone to court whose dog was wearing an ID tag which just had the owners name omitted, but as the Good Citz tests are Kennel Club run, the ID tags have to comply with current laws.

It all sounds very strange as I imagine that there are many prospective owners out there for this type of dog. Most are retired around the age of seven, so still in their prime as far as pet dog ownership goes. I've attended talks given by quite a couple of the assistance dog charities and they always assure that retired dogs are found homes by themselves. If what you are saying is correct, it appears that there may have been some 'porkies' told along the way if it is one of the charities concerned.

Does this really happen? I was under the impression that most of the assistance dog charities had waiting lists of homes wanting to adopt, not only retired assistance dogs, but also those that have undergone a certain amount of training but haven't quite made the grade.

that is one seriously cute puppy!!!!

Which is why I said, I agreed to a certain extent. I can understand why they went along with their captors. I wouldn't however, be proud of it which is what I think selling stories to newspapers comes across as being??

I can understand where you are coming from and, to a certain extent, agree, but to then sell the story of how they falsely announced to the World that they were in a place they shouldn't be which cast doubt on the integrity of the country they were fighting for seems pretty 'off' to me. Personally, I think I would want to keep quiet and hope the fuss died down quickly because, although I understand why they did what they did, I wouldn't be too proud of doing it. Why the MoD is allowing them to sell their stories beggars belief

Glucosomine and Chondroitin is what my vet recommended for my HD dog Sam (Border Collie). Most vets recommend it. Vets seem to have differing opinions on exercise routines - some say not to change the regular routine while other say to temper the exercise. On a personal level (and my boy has severe HD in both hips and arthritis in at least one), I strike a balance. Quality of life is important and he is a Collie, but, unfortunately, a Collie that doesn't notice any pain until he gets home <sigh> so I keep a check on how he's moving and exercise accordingly. If he's having a good day, we might throw the ball four or five times for him to retrieve (keeping it low so he doesn't jump for it), on a bad day, it's on lead short walk time. He still jumps in the car (and out again). We don't have stairs, but he negotiates the steps on and off the beach. On the beach we stick to the 'firm' sand, not the trawling through the soft stuff. If he's having a bad day, we avoid the beach and stick to grassy areas. I take the view that quality has to come before quantity, but that is a personal choice which my vet is happy with. Just to put your mind at rest. A friend's dog was diagnosed with HD at 11 months old and he competed in agility and still did fun rounds when he was 12 years old. I didn't know about her dog's condition until I mentioned Sam's diagnosis and how devastated I was by it. Some dogs cope with the condition remarkably well. Trouble is, we don't have a crystal ball to know which ones will cope and which won't. I can't help out on the cruciate ligament problem on a personal level, but I've known a lot of dogs who've had the op and recovered very, very well without problems.

No words can make it any better for you Enid, but know my thoughts are with you. Run free lovely lad!!!!

to be honest, for the very same reason, I'm pleased that the Malamute didn't win. I had visions of lots of them ending up in homes where the owners just wouldn't be prepared for this type of 'strong-minded' dog.

I agree , the camera work was absolutely appalling. When they did manage to go to the actual display, they often cut off a third of the team (Mary herself) which I'm sure led to the overall impression that the performance wasn't the usual dazzling display we are used to seeing. Regardless, Mary deserves a lot of praise for the huge effort she puts into the event. Two dogs, big arena, lots of lights (as we saw ). Couple that with the expectations we all now have and it doesn't take much to realise that it takes a brave lady to put herself under that amount of pressure. The BIS was, I believe, the BIS. Lovely dog.

What a lovely video. I do wish they'd do something about the surface, but Jay didn't seem too phased by the slip. Well done!!

Is there a particular reason why she is left confined to the kitchen when you are out at work? Sometimes, an adjustment to where they are left can often solve the problem. Could be worth a try. Some dogs cope better when left in small spaces, others can't cope with small spaces and need more room to feel comfortable.

Just to correct this in case you forget Andrea, it wasn't an APDT trainer, the trainer in question was, I believe supposed to be a member of the BIPDT and not the APDT