Loving my Oldies

It is one thing to pour our hearts out when we suffer these huge losses. It is another when the writer, as with CaseyKay, puts us right there feeling and seeing and rejoicing and having our hearts torn. What a loss, CaseyKay; so hard to get to grips with the enormity. Deepest condolences. And thank you for the reminder to hug our oldies and tell them how much they mean to us. .

Kudos to that Ranger. Wish there were more like him. That is one load lightened for you and your family. Thumbs down to the other sort of bureacratic nonsense which doesn't allow your sister and her husband to go back to check on and care for the goats. Rather they die and/or be savaged by predators than let commonsense get in the way. Hopefully, I can be proved wrong.

Great photos, Koala. I met an Akita IRL recently and hadn't realised how big they are. Kuma looks as though he is having such a good timem although I imagine he looks a bit lumbering beside the agile kelpies. As for the others - well, they always enjoy themselves.

Ha ha ha - I love the pic of the Conductor. More cymbals, more trumpets !! So Milton is staying in the vicinity?

She'll be very delicate.

OMG - accidents coming up particularly with the cat one. Very cute though :laugh: :laugh:

Your dog didn't do anything wrong and you had witnesses. Even if they had reported you it would have come to nothing. Your Simi taught that little dog a lesson it badly needed. : ) I had something of a similar experience a long time ago. I was in an off leash park with my two Maltese and was chatting to a man who had three little terriers one of whom was the mum of the others. One of my dogs discovered a bone under a tree and I very quickly and loudly told her to drop it. The mother dog promptly grabbed Calypson by the scruff of the neck and held on. The man and I grabbed our dogs, expecting great puncture marks. Calypso was unhurt and totally unconcerned. The man and I were the shaken ones though It was obvious to me that the mother dog heard my tone of chastisement and her instincts took over.

Personally I think that is the reason many do end up in pounds or rescue. Many people have no idea about the maintenance required. Years ago long haired dogs were not commonly kept as household pets and there weren't these same problems. They are bred and sold because of the "cute" factor without any information given about the upkeep of the coat. That's what I mean, Rosetta. I had no idea either and at six months of age, my Maltese had to be completely shaved and after than they went to the groomer regularly.

Maltese, Shih Tzus and crosses thereof are probably close to the top of breeds in pounds. Thank god for the rescue groups. These breeds should come with a high maintenance warning in terms of the need for grooming. The state that a lot of these dogs are in by the time the reach the pound should be cause for prosecutions. Cute doesn't always equal well looked after

Horrible about your poor lambs. Get a couple of Maremmas, perhaps :)

Puppies do come into rescue from time to time and I completely understand how your friend feels about getting a puppy from about 8 weeks of age. When I had my first dogs, puppies of 8 weeks and 9 weeks of age, and went to dog training when they were a few months old, I used to think dogs of even about 4 years of age with almost ancient . Some 20 years later and goodness knows how many dogs (owner, rescued, fostered) later, I think my nearly 10 years old is just a puppy. However, if she can get around that desire to have a puppy puppy, then the rewards of getting as young a dog as possible from a rescue group such as PAWS, where all their dogs are in foster care situations, will be enormous.

Well, I don't blame them :laugh: :laugh: . The smell of ready to eat rockmelons being cut up is absolutely scrumptious. The others just don't smell like that, particularly strawberries where they have to be about an hour off the farm to smell and taste the way they should.

According to my on line translator, Bidgee in English is Bidgee in Italian :D :D

How small is small? Quite a few kilos difference between a Miniature Poodle and a Maltese or Maltese Shih Tzu cross. I have a female Maltese Shih Tzu cross who weighs less than 4 kilograms whereas I believe M/Poodles can get up 11 kilos.

Go to a rescue group: www.paws.com.au

What big eyes! He makes me think of a joey - such cute and vulnerable creatures.

I don't disagree with this, Santo66. You asked what a Vet Chain offered anyone -- I was merely listing a few of the things that some people would find attractive. Personally, I wouldn't touch a francise with a 40ft pole, but there are those who would see it as an answer to having their own business and, of course, there would be those who are blown away by the sales spiel and don't have the desire or ability to look at the "small print" very very carefully.

Lots .... on paper. Why does any franchising organisation exist? Not everyone is cut out to be a business man or woman, but they might want to, ostensibly, run their own business and be self-employed. Of course, it depends on the franchise operation, but they generally provide advertising, sometimes an existing clientele, business training, commercial support, backup, etc etc etc. Just because someone trains to be a vet, it doesn't necessarily follow that they are good with people, staff, animals even.

Oh goody. More for over worked and under paid teachers to do because another "problem" has reared its head in society.

how can you determine this? I think if you see people often enough, you can get the vibes from the people as well.

Millions of years of evolution and these dogs still think they need to bully others, not to mention the owners also thinking that's OK behaviour. Sounds like the whole family needs a few more years of evolution to catch up to the rest of us :p Right on. Those sorts of F***wits make my blood boil. One of those occasions with a report is definitely called for. Particularly as one of the dogs is a puppy. Being taught really really really bad habits and will end up a danger. Don't forget the chocolate biscuit. But, if you don't want it, I'll take it. :) Ha ha ha - you beat me to it, mita.

Trust you If someone stops to talk to me, I ALWAYS stress that mine are all adopted from pounds. And people will quite often ask me how I ended up with so many (well I don't think that, but others do :laugh: :laugh: ), so it gives me the opportunity, like you Alkhe, to talk about rescuing, fostering, pounds, etc etc.

Thank god. These sorts of threads are just awful - poor dogs and people. I'm so pleased he has been found and can now go on to live the good life. Well done, Maree.

Great story. Daisy sure looks like a heart stopper.

What is going on here? Someone goes for a couple of days grooming instruction at a council organised class and hangs out their shingle?? Just too horrible Poor people, poor little dog. I, too, hope these people and their like are put out of business.