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[TheDirtyDigger]

CHEAP FLIGHTS

Of particular interest are those bargain deals by the airlines Jetstar and Virgin Blue. . I plan to go to South East Asia; Bangkok and Cambodia

DON'T fly with Jetstar. You have been warned.

PET OWNERSHIP
Another topic i want some discussion is becoming a responsible pet owner.For a long time.... i wanted a pet dog and finally my circumstances have changed that allow me to do so. One of my biggest concern is being responsible, after all you are taking care of another life. I 100% know i will go to the pound and want a small sized dog, what are other factors i need to consider and your experiences on pet ownership.

If you get bored looking after your pet and decide the responsibility is too much you can just eat it. Win-win.

[1orion2many]

The larger the Dog the shorter the lifespan in general. Even one from the pound costs a couple of hundred if not more nowadays. If you don't have a lot of spare time to be able to house train it and stop it from getting bored while it's young then avoid a puppy. You can usually pick up a dog that is one or two years old either from the pound or check the classifieds in the pet section, you have paople who are no longer able to keep their dog and are willing to give it away as long as it goes to a good home. Temprament is very important, quite a few of the really small dogs can have a vicious streak so I'd look for a small to medium. If you have resricted yard space then stay away from terriers as they will soon get bored and either tear the yard up or find a way to escape. Depending on the breed or cross breed you would need to know if they carry any hereditary diseases like patella or spinal problems or as with some breeds hip displaysia(German Shepard, Rott weiler). You really do need to do a lot of research to find the right dog for you, going to the pound is both good and bad. Good as you are helping out an animal that needs a home, Bad as you don't know what sort of treatement the dog has got from it's previous owners. Good luck with your hunt and here is a site to help do some research http://www.dogzonline.com.au/

[Demonac]

I picked up one of my dogs from the Lost Dogs Home. I can't recall the amount, but it wasn't too bad. They also desex all dogs.
In general, to avoid hereditary problems, go with mixed breed dogs. A lot tougher due to not being inbred.
If the dog is going to be alone for most of the day, consider getting 2 then. They keep each other company, and are more sociable.
Hope that helps.

[jacksplatt11]

We used to have 2 kelpies, great companions. Not all yappy like those small dogs (whom I hate, some are ok though) and not aggressive like some bigger dogs. They lived to about 15-16, but we lived out in the country so they had heaps of room to run around and play. Since they've died, we've moved to the city so we don't have room for dogs like that anymore, but if you have the room, i highly recommend them. Pretty much all sheep dogs are good companions really.

You could always get a different pet to a cat or dog, I've always wanted a snake or lizard

[jaydisc]

For an extra 3 years commitment you can have a child instead!

[autobreadticon]

I will read the posts more thoroughly, so thanks every1 for posting.
One of the big issues of taking care of another life is commitment, for me thats not the issue, but i think trying to discipline a dog could be a pain.

[Pulse]

One of the big issues of taking care of another life is commitment, for me thats not the issue, but i think trying to discipline a dog could be a pain.

I've heard that if you want a puppy/dog with good behaviour from the get-go, You should definitely purchase a pure-breed.

The cross-breed that we had about 10 years ago (We named her "Angel" but she was anything but... ) was always up to some sort of mischief but our pure-breed Maltese Terrier (who we've had for the past 6-7 years) has never done anything wrong . (Of course, not all cross-breeds are badly behaved...)

[1orion2many]

Trianing wise it's all positive reinforcement, gone are the days of check the dog in with a good choker, it's all good dog have some food. Just to let you know Mel pure bred dogs with good lines can cost well over $3000, I've heard of people with to much money spending $20,000 for a guaranteed Champion but can't remember the breed.

[JuzMel]

Well for the airfare thingy, it's usually like a battle of who has the best broadband to get in and book the flight for tickets that go at 99 cents. My friend tried it before and it usually sells out in minutes.

I'll talk more about the doggy stuff since I have a cutie-pie at home so popular that my friend actually created a facebook account for him. And you kinda cannot say no to a face like this:




Anyway thats besides the story. A dog like all the others have said is more than a decade of commitment. When my BF and I first got Jasper at 2 months old, I was looking for a job and he was still in uni, so there was always someone around to be with him. Puppies are just like babies, they need alot of attention. We woke up sometimes in the middle of the night to clean poo and pee. And also biting/chewing things are one of their favourite hobbies until they get to the age of over a year old. So if you're want to get a puppy, make sure you have time to train them properly and be prepared for some disasters like things getting chewed. The best way to curb that is to buy them toys. (Jasper has about 9-10 toys he can choose from so he grew out of that chewing stage a bit faster.) Stay away from petshops, they are overpriced. Look on trading post for private sellers. Puppies range from $300 to $1200 depending on what breed of dog you want. Pet shop prices are usually double the price of private sellers for the same breeds. Like Jasper (a Maltese/Poodle) cost about $695 from a pet shop, we got him for $300 from a private seller.

As for adopting/buying and older dog, we actually adopted a 9 month old puppy some time in July. The owner was moving overseas and she promised us he was house-trained, well-behaved and stuff. But it turned out otherwise (he peed and shit anywhere he wanted and even did his business while walking or playing on the corridors and even on our bed or when we carried him!). Also he was an "outside during the day to shit/pee anywhere" dog while ours was always kept indoors and brought out for walks during the weekends. In the end he was sold to another couple who can take better care of him. That's why as mentioned, if you adopt, you got to pick a dog that suits your life style and be prepared that they may have some old bad habits stuck from their past owners. Adoption is available from RSPCA or just google dog adoption. RSPCA adoption:
Adult $210
Puppy $260
Senior $155
Dogs available at the Burwood shelter now

Also you got to think about large or small breeds, hyper active or more well-behaved / smarter breeds, indoor or outdoor. etc.. Ahh I've got too much advice to tell you, been keeping dogs since I was 7 yrs old. If you get a chance to meet at another group meet, I can tell you more.