I have not read all the thread but at the end of the day it is up to the breeder where and what enviroment she wants her puppies and I think we all have to respect that.

I personally because I have reasons will not home a small dog with a very large breed.   I have first hand experience of what a big cuddly dog can do to a small dog when they fall out.  Not very nice at all.  You try to get a big dog off a small dog when they get attached.  I know there are loads of responsible owners but given the choice of two homes with no big dog or a big dog, I would go with the no big dog.  As I say we have to respect peoples reasons and wishes.

We have 5 Russkiy Toys... the tiniest of toy breeds... a Harlequin Great Dane and a Black Russian Terrier (Russian Black Terrier in EKC).  They all get along famously and all house dogs, but with the extremes of size is it wise to exercise caution and not to leave them all together unsupervised.  To be honest I wouldn't see a miniature poodle and a Rottie as two extremes sizewise.  I wouldn't be worried about temperamental issues, more so the logistics of a big heavy breed accidentally hurting a more physically frail one.   

Did anyone else see the Rottie on TV this morning? It had started producing milk and was nursing two kitens which had been taken from the mother when they were too young to leave.

no what channel was that id love to see that ah bless her.

> Did anyone else see the Rottie on TV this morning? It had started producing milk and was nursing two kitens which had been taken from the mother when they were too young to leave.

Ahhh, so that's what was happening. I caught a snippet of Animal 24:7 yesterday morning and heard a rottie was caring for kittens, but didn't hear all of it, so wasn't sure how it all came about.
I had thought to myself then, what a great thing for the breed. It's a pity lovely stories like this don't make it to the news to help balance out the horror stories.

I totally understand and agree with what you saying Mastifflover,

as cuddley and as good natured as my boy is , he Still has the potential to cause great harm even by accident ,
And I do see what your saying on how people treat them like toys there is an old lady who walks her very old dog round here and I hate bumping into her and will always walk away if I see her coming OH is not as rude as me and always gets caught up with her,

She knows my boys a big softy so she cant see any danger when she allows her dog to lunge and snap at my boy,

All she says is "oh their alright" , all I think is well one day my boy might well have had enough of this little pest of a dog and he could very well turn and hurt her pooch,

Then it would be my dog in the dog house as such,

The women really gets my goat because I have tried to explain to her but she just cant see it and her dogs never on a lead I only found out the other day that the dog is infact a bitch
As OH had our dogs out and came back with the right hump
Because he had bumped into the women who started shouting as her dog come running over to have a snap at ours again she shouted  to watch our boys (ours were on leads hers not on a lead  and women was way far behind her dog) 
As she reaches OH (him being a bit of a Rodney didnt walk away he thought she was coming to tell him something) but when she reached him she said her dog was IN SEASON!!!,

and you got this silly women walking her dog all around the estates grass area,
i cant see why you just wouldnt have a dog of this age spade its gotta be over 10 years old,

Its been a nightmare in here with our boys  their climbing the walls,

i was even thinking to come on here and ask if its worth getting my boys done and would this stop them getting so hyped up in the future when bitches come into season,

my poor Ellie the boys have been trying to get at her shes been spade so cant get preganant anyway , but the boys are defenetly on edge.

> when she reached him she said her dog was IN SEASON!!!,

Oh lovely! What goes on in peoples heads???
Buster has met an in-season bitch. The bitch was off-lead, came running at us while the owner was a little dot in the distance. I know buster gets excited with other dogs, but he was REALLY excited this time. The owners (well 2 teenage girls waking the dog), finally made thier way to us, after screaming & shouting at thier dog. The girls started giggling and pointed at Busters willy. Well, it had made a very prominant appearance I said "oh, he's rather excited today!", the girls replied, "we don't know if she has finished her season yet or not, maybe she hasn't" !!!!!!

I was soooooooo angry, I couldn't talk to them anymore, so I dragged poor, frustrated, excited Buster away and tried to distract him untill he had 'cooled off' a bit. The bitch is a small terrier mix, it would have been devastating if Buster had tried to mount her, she would have been really hurt

It makes me mad as I'm sure this dog is getting walked loose over the field, becase  Buster is like a deranged vacuum cleaner. He'll be trotting along happy enough, then almost give himself whip-lash as a scent catches his interest and all he wants to do is follow it. No doubt atall it's the smell of a bitch He will ignore passing dogs, (dogs that are close enogh to sniff) when he has got his nostrils honed in on that scent trail.

I can totally sympathise with you. It is mind-bogggling how anybody can walk an in-season bitch off-lead and VERY anoying when those bitches seek out our entire males I have debated with myself wheather to get Buster castrated too, but I think not. It is very annoying to deal with the in-season bitches and the scent trails they leave, but for the time being I'm using it as an opportunity to train under major distraction (must say that's not going very well yet!).

> It is mind-bogggling how anybody can walk an in-season bitch off-lead and VERY anoying when those bitches seek out our entire males <IMG alt=mad src="/images/mad.gif">

I usually agree with your posts mastifflover - and I understand your point of view, but, what about us owners of entire bitches?  I won't walk mine ON LEAD when in season - so they don't go out at all for t least 3 weeks - because of all the off lead entire males and their irresponsible owners...., I'm not saying you are at all, just pointing out the other side of the coin and how equally annoying it is.

The way I see it though (having had an entire bitch in the past and now an entire dog), when I was an entire bitch owner it was a nuisance only during the season, which was twice a year for my girl. But as an entire dog owner there is the potential for me to and my dog to run into in season bitches at any time of the year, and even the best trained dog with the most responsible owner can be overcome by his instincts so the only option then as I can see it would be to keep all dogs leashed all of the time.

I used to walk my girl very early in the morning and late at night when she had a season (she's spayed now) but after seeing how bonkers my boy gets when he finds the scent trail of a bitch in season I would probably think twice about doing even this if I got another bitch in the future.

> I won't walk mine ON LEAD when in season - so they don't go out at all for t least 3 weeks - because of all the off lead entire males and their irresponsible owners

It's not just a poorly trained dog that will ignore it's owner for the smell of an in-season bitch. It is a very deep-rooted, strong instinct (differening in intensity between individual dogs). Even well, trained bitches will try to escape to find a dog.

I don't hin you should feel you are putting yourself out for the sake of irresponsible owners, you are putting yourself out, because you understand how dogs behave when it come to mating, or the posibility of mating.

Pookin - > it was a nuisance only during the season>

Yes -maybe  you're right - I just get so frustrated at not being able to go out - I so wish there was somewhere I could go.  Even at extreme times round here it'd be taking a risk I don't want to, and with work and family etc I can't/don't want to be going out for walks at silly o'clock.  I need to take a deep breath and maybe say some sort of antra and get over it.
This is really my first experience of an entire bitch [others older rescued and neutered bitches, or dogs] 
Thankfully, this should be the last season we're house-bound; I've waited 'til Heidi's 3 before having her spayed so she's fully mature and won't have this problem [unless I get another LOL]

Mastifflover - as usual - you're absolutely right.  Just having a rant as above reply.   I'd be as upset with bitch owners if mine were dogs and I had to cope with the same situation - though it's be great if I could walk on streets on lead - different matter entirely on fields/in parks.

> though it's be great if I could walk on streets on lead

That would be lovely. I find frustrating that people can't keep thier dogs on-lead next to roads (have to pass loose dogs in close proximity, with an excitable giant), it must be even more frustrating not being able to walk you in-season girl on lead, for fear of meeting loose, entire male dogs on the street

Grrr, irresponisble owners - they don't realise (or care?) how much they effect others do they.

> but, what about us owners of entire bitches?&nbsp;

Simple never walk in season bitches off lead full stop, after all they can be just as eager to be mated as a male is to mate them.

Certainly an in season bitch should never be walked where dogs are exercised off lead, (as after all the males owners can have no prior knowledge to the proximity of an in season bitch) that really leaves public roadways where no dog is allowed off lead by law, around here it is up to a £1000 fine, as it is for fouling.

I know that there is a problem with loose dogs in some areas, and this really needs taking up with the Council/Dog Warden Service.

When I first moved here (a former council estate, that is largely owner occupied now) there were a lot of latchkey dogs.  This never happens now after the council were pro-active rounding them up and charging owners £30 a day (that was years ago, probably a lot more now) to retrieve them.

I have had up to three or four entire bitches at a time, and five in total, and we stick to road walking, and even the out of season/spayed ones are not taken to the park etc, as they will have the smell on them.

When I had just one or two I did take a rolled up newspaper on the off chance we might meet a loose dog, but generally with three or more loose dogs are not wiling to approach, but as said it is rare to see one.

>an in season bitch should never be walked where dogs are exercised off lead>

Hi Brainless - yes I agree and don't - just wish - like your area - all dogs were kept on lead on highways.  Feeling as fed up as I am, I may get in touch with dog warden or somesuch. 
I'm on a council estate that is slowly but surely becoming more owner occupied and have seen a reduction, even over the few years we've been here, in the numbers of free-roaming dogs.  Unfortunately it only takes one dog [2 if you include the bitch] to Tango.
Maybe I could suggest the charges could go to a neutering scheme and/or rescue?

I think if you (get other peoples support) tackle the council to round the dogs up and where ownership is known talk to and fine the owners then the problem will be reduced, otehrwise it is best to excersise at times when yrru least likely to meet them (seems to be when oswners get home), and use that rolled up paper.