After weeks of intensive care and treatment, the RSPCA Lonsdale Animal Shelter is delighted to report that some of the puppies taken from the property near Eudunda will become available for adoption this Thursday 29 March 2007 . The RSPCA has received hundreds of calls from members of public expressing interest in adopting these pups. Because of the overwhelming interest and because these puppies continue to have ongoing special needs, we will need to decide upon the most appropriate home available for each puppy.
As each puppy becomes available it will be listed on the adopt-a-pet website so that interested persons can get more information about each one. www.adoptapet.com.au
Members of the public who are interested in adopting one of these puppies will be required to come to the Lonsdale Animal Shelter to view the pups in person and place a written expression of interest on whichever pup they would like to adopt. At a later date, Shelter staff will contact everyone who has expressed interest to advise them of the decision made.
We ask that everyone is patient with the procedures put in place. With over 200 enquiries about a small number of puppies we are not going to be able to please everyone!
We recently discussed training collars for dogs which the RSPCA does not approve. Here are our suggestions for appropriate collars to use in training;
FIXED COLLAR Unless there is a medical reason, we recommend that all dogs wear a fixed collar. The collar should have current identification attached to the collar including the council registration disc and a personal identification tag that has the owner’s contact details. Most dogs can be walked with the lead attached to a fixed collar however there are other recommended alternatives for strong, boisterous dogs that can drag their owners when being walked on a fixed collar.
HEAD COLLAR There are many different designs for head collars and it’s not possible to recommend one design for all dogs. The best design for a head collar will depend on the shape of the dog’s head (which varies so much from breed to breed) and the type of behaviour the dog displays when being walked.
Head collars can be extremely effective. Head collars at their most effective have been described as the “power steering” of dog walking equipment. However there are some negatives to be considered;
Very few dogs will immediately accept a head collar and walk willingly on one. It takes some training to teach the dog to adjust to wearing a head collar. The training is not difficult and most dogs will readily accept a head collar once they have been trained to wear one.
The head collar must fit the dog -the right style as well as the right size is very important.
No matter the style of head collar, we always recommend that the head collar be attached to a fixed collar via a “connector”. If the head collar is fitted too loosely (and also depending on the style of the head collar), a dog can get out of a head collar which can be very risky if the dog is out in public. A “connector” has 2 clips on it and connects the head collar to the fixed collar. Should the dog slip out of the head collar the handler still has control of the dog.
Head collars should only been worn by the dog when being walked. They are not designed to “yank” the dog’s head around. Pulling roughly on a head collar could injure the dog. However if fitted correctly and the dog is appropriately trained to wear one, head collars can be a blessing for owners who have trouble walking their dogs on a fixed collar.
MARTINGALE COLLAR These are also called a “limited slip” or “restricted slip”. This is because the design is a combination of a fixed collar and a slip collar (choker chain) It differs from a choker collar because once the slip capacity on the martingale has reached its limit it cannot tighten any further (unlike a choker which will continue to tighten without a limit). This too is a collar that must be fitted correctly on a dog and should only be worn by the dog when being walked.
HARNESS The variation in harnesses are as widespread as the various head collars available. Harnesses which are designed to keep your dog safe whilst traveling in a vehicle is not the type of harness which will prevent a dog from pulling when being walked. To the contrary, this type of harness may encourage a dog to pull. The concept is similar to a draft horse. The animal feels weight behind it and its response is to pull against it. These harnesses are very popular with small dogs as owners can withstand the pulling but there is no pressure on the throat therefore no gagging which occurs when dogs pull on fixed or slip collar.There are now harnesses designed to prevent pulling. As with other collars mentioned, these harnesses need to be fitted correctly and the dog trained to walk nicely on them.
Most positive trainers will be familiar with the fitting and correct use of head collars, martingale collars and harnesses which will assist with a pulling dog. Therefore any person who is unfamiliar with these collars but would like assistance should make enquiries with a positive trainer.
3 month old Polar Bear cub “Knut” made international news this week when it was claimed that animal activists called for him to be allowed to die after he was rejected by his mother and his brother died soon after their birth in the Berlin Zoo. “The zoo must kill the bear” said actvist spokesman Frank Albrecht. Knut was given intensive care by his keepers at the Zoo and is now making excellent progress.
But why would an animal activist hold the view that he should have died? The RSPCA has highlighted in previous blogs the basic differences between the “animal welfarist” philosopy of the RSPCA and the “animal rights” philosophy.
So what would make an animal activist think that “Knut” would be better off dead? Did he fear that Knut would become humanised and destined for a lifetime of dependence on humans inside a zoo? In a “perfect world”, Polar Bears would all live in the wild, but we know their environment is in peril. Global warming, mining and pollution are threatening the Polar Bear as a species. To preserve this beautiful animal we need to educate people about them and help people to understand their importance. We also need to learn more about their biology so that they can be protected from extinction. The RSPCA believes that well designed and well funded zoos which cater for animals’ important physical and behavioural requirements are important places to both learn about these animals and educate people about their needs. The idea that that it might be better for a bear not to exist at all rather than live in a good zoo is an opinion not shared by us!
A great new book is now available from Dymocks Books - “Marley and Me” by John Grogan
This is a book for everyone who has ever wanted, owned, or known a dog.
“John and Jenny were just beginning their life together. They were young and in love, with a perfect little house and not a care in the world. Then they brought home Marley, a wiggly yellow fur ball of a puppy. Life would never be the same.
Marley quickly grew into a barrelling, ninety-seven-pound steamroller of a Labrador retriever, a dog like no other. He crashed through screen doors, gouged through drywall, flung drool on guests, stole women’s undergarments, and ate nearly everything he could get his mouth around, including couches and fine jewellery. Obedience school did no good-Marley was expelled. Neither did the tranquilizers the veterinarian prescribed for him with the admonishment, Don’t hesitate to use these.
And yet Marley’s heart was pure. Just as he joyfully refused any limits on his behaviour, his love and loyalty were boundless, too. Marley shared the couple’s joy at their first pregnancy, and their heartbreak over the miscarriage. He was there when babies finally arrived and when the screams of a seventeen-year-old stabbing victim pierced the night. Unconditional love, they would learn, comes in many forms. The heartwarming and unforgettable story of a family in the making and the wondrously neurotic dog who taught them what really matters in life.”
As a special offer to RSPCA supporters, if you present a copy of this Blog to Dymocks Adelaide or Dymocks Burnside you will receive a 10% discount on this book (and any other books purchased on that day). Or anyone who orders via will receive free delivery.
Here is another touching message about a dog given a second chance to have a wonderful life.
“In 1994, my partner and I adopted a 5 year old Red Heeler from the RSPCA. He has been our constant, loyal and loving companion for all these years but, unfortunately at his very old age and with a bad heart, we very sadly had to ‘let him go.’
My partner and I are going overseas for a couple of years but when we come back we will, most assuredly come back to Lonsdale to pick out another four-legged friend.
Thank you for all your wonderful work. IT DOES NOT GO UNOTICED!!!!!!
This is our beloved “Simon”.
Thank you for giving us such a wonderful gift of life!
The following is our response to a comment that was posted by “Mark” on 5th March about our blog on dog training devices which the RSPCA does not agree with. We disagree with “Mark’s” opinion! (which is reposted below)
Reponse from the RSPCA
Mark, thank you for your comments, as they highlight misconceptions that exist about our training philosophy here at the RSPCA and its consequences. For those unfamiliar with positive methods, it might seem that we advocate treating our dogs with kid gloves and letting them do whatever they want. This is absolutely not the case. Being positive does not mean being permissive. Our use of rewards (food, toys, play, praise and attention) is just part of a program that includes proper management to limit the dog’s opportunities to misbehave, and the use of passive punishment (e.g. ignoring unwanted behaviours, removing attention, time outs etc).
When analysing dog behaviour it is misleading to talk about wolves and pack behaviour. Dogs have been domesticated for over 100,000 years, and it is widely accepted that through our selective breeding they have become vastly different to their wild ancestors. If you consider the physical differences between a wild wolf and, for example, a Chihuahua, these differences are blatantly apparent. It is no surprise that their behaviour patterns are just as different. Making comparisons between the two is akin to giving human relationship advice based upon studies of the behaviour patterns of Cave Men.
Fortunately we do not need to rely on studies of wolf behaviour when training dogs, as there are decades of evidence-based research on the ways in which ALL animals learn, including dogs. Its called operant conditioning, and is the basis for our approach. Studies confirm that methods such as ours are humane, effective, and far less likely to compromise the relationship between a dog and its owner than any other. We agree that dogs are highly social animals that need leadership, but it is clear that we can provide this using a positive approach.
Dominance and pack theory are over-used justifications for the use of punishment based training. It is too simplistic to think that dogs misbehave or are disobedient simply because they haven’t been shown who is boss, and that if you can just exert adequate dominance over a dog that everything else will fall into place. This approach is likely to lead to unneeded amounts of punishment and frustration, which are likely to only worsen problems such as not coming when called and biting, while the real issues go unaddressed, such as adequate opportunity to learn what is required, and the provision of an adequate environment.
However, for those that are determined to cling to the concept of dominance, the positive method of training is still relevant. Surely making a dog work for every bit of food that they need to live puts the owner in the most dominant position available? Leash correction training surely cannot compete with this position of power.
Last but not least, we completely disagree that the use of positive methods can be linked to dogs becoming aggressive. Quite the opposite, as the methods are so non-confrontational. Further to this, positive methods are the best form of approach with a dog that is showing aggression since punishment based training is more likely to incite retaliation from a confident aggressive dog, or in a submissive dog to teach them not to warn before biting. (If growling gets punished then it’s safer from the dog’s perspective to go straight to biting without giving any warning). So if we are serious about reducing the number of bites in homes (and we are) then we are more likely to succeed when dogs are positively trained (and further if owners can be better educated to understand their dog’s body language).
Let us end by saying that we have never experienced the use of positive training causing the euthanasia of a dog. On the contrary, our use of positive methods has allowed us to re-educate and re-home dogs who have shown defensive aggression in homes that relied on physical adversives. In these cases it has been wonderful to see the dogs learn to trust their handlers, to watch their happy personality reveal itself when they learned there was nothing to fear, and to see their progress in learning when they were given calm clear guidance about what was actually required of them in a non-confrontational way.
Original Comment by “Mark”
“I believe the RSPCA needs to re-asses it views on dog training and dog training and behaviour modification. RSPCA has totally lost all sight of the fact that dogs are instinctively pack animals that live by pack instinct. All domesticated dogs still have at least 80% of the inherited instincts of the wolf. I believe that the RSPCA is falsely misleading the public by suggesting that ONLY totally positive food based training should be used to train ALL dogs. This type of training may very well work for lower pack dogs, as they are instinctively followers, and do not have the instinct to assert dominance for control. Dogs that instinctively belong at the top of the dog pack (dominant dogs, or rank dominant dogs), will not respond appropriately to totally positive food based forms of dog training. This type of training does not establish in the dog’s mind the order of the pack, and dogs trained in this manner will continually try to assert dominance over their owners. Yes ALL dog training should be primarily positive. You cannot gain a dog’s respect or confidence without your training being primarily positive. But incorrect behaviour or dominant behaviour should be corrected. I am a professional dog trainer in Adelaide, and the number of dog owners that have come to me after trying totally positive food based training is incredible. Too often I have seen dog owners at their wits end due to overly dominant dogs controlling the family, or showing dominant aggressive traits, come to me after being to a totally positive based dog trainer. I personally believe the number of dog bites and attacks from family dogs will be greatly reduced if we understand the instincts of the dog, and train accordingly! Too many dogs these days are being destroyed or dumped at shelters due to aggressive behaviour. Most of these can be corrected with the right training. It’s about time welfare groups respected the dog for what it is, a social pack animal that has inherited rules for survival, and we should respect this in our dogs. Bribing a dog with food is not working with many of these dogs natural instincts, and destroying dogs because of dominance related issues, because RSPCA does not agree with corrective training, is an injustice to our beloved canines!”
PLEASE NOTE: We have been inundated with calls about this matter. We appreciate everyone’s concern and we are working very hard to deal with it, as well as all the other work we do each day. We are grateful for offers of help. The care and treatment of the sick dogs and puppiesplaces a strain on the RSPCA - physically, emotionally and financially. Any donations to this matter will be dedicated directly to the care of the animals and any legal processes which follow.
On Tuesday 28th February, RSPCA officers, Council workers and Police entered a property at Sutherlands, around 100 kilometres north of Adelaide. The scene on arrival was like nothing many of the officers had ever experienced. Around 150 dogs were living in a confined area. The vet who assisted us found that nearly all of the dogs we seized had significant health problems, including very bad flea burdens, tapeworm infections, open and infected wounds, emaciation, conjunctivitis and suspected mange. Others showed signs of previously broken bones. As well as their physical ailments, many of the dogs seen at the property had not been socialized, and as a result, were possibly dangerous.
Once the inspectors had analyzed the scene and spoken to the resident, they began the mammoth task of transporting many of the dogs back to RSPCA Headquarters for vet checks and a good feed and drink. As heartbreaking as the realization was, it soon became clear that many of the dogs would have to be euthanised on the basis of their age, illness or injury. In fact, of the 100 that we collected from the property, around 60 needed to be euthanised. Such a task was extraordinarily heartbreaking for all involved, however we were able to save many of the puppies.
Around 20 puppies are now being cared for at the RSPCA Lonsdale Shelter. We just don’t know how many of them will survive considering the their poor start in life and the diseases which they may have contracted from the older dogs. Needless to say RSPCA staff have already grown very attached to these beautiful little battlers and they’re being given the best care possible. Ultimately we would love to see as many as possible become strong and healthy and able to be rehomed - however it is just too early to say if or when that will happen for many of them. We’re urging members of the public interested in adopting the pups to keep an eye on our ‘Adopt-a-Pet’ website in future weeks to months. http://www.adoptapet.com.au In the meantime we’re extremely grateful for the countless supportive phone calls over the last few days. If you’re looking for ways to help out we would gratefully accept any good quality puppy food as well as monetary donations.
Most of the photographs are too distressing to show here or may be subject to legal restriction, but here are some of the dogs we hope to save.
