Dust Angel

How heartbreaking for you, im so sorry.

I also understand that RSPCA have some issues and not just the ones alluded to. HOWEVER my local branch (rural) is 100% volunteer run and do many, many great things in our area. They have take the local pound over and it is now a zero kill pound. Once the official amount of time has lapsed council give the dogs and cats to the RSPCA and they desex and then all animals go into foster care until adopted. In the last five years they have rehomed thousands of animals and only 5 dogs have been PTS due to temperament issues and 10 cats due to being to feral (after several months of handleing) to rehome. They have a revolving roster so that whilst in the pound the dogs are taken for long walks and the cats are handled. Our local inspector is also a volunteer, she works full times, currently fosters 10 dogs as well as her own 3 and she always attends to EVERY cruelty report as soon as humanely possible. So i understand where you are coming from but i dont think it is fair to tar the whole organisation with the same brush. Im sure that our local chapter is not the only one that operates like this. I would hate for my local chapter to stop receiving donations they work damn hard for.

Yup mine have had all manner of things in from peanut butter to frozen beef stock with veggies and meat. I run them through the dishwasher and they come up great. :D

Wasnt actually asking about perfect Just no bad habits etc. I am interested to find out what one persons view of this is compared to others.

Interesting, where do you draw the line between breed characteristics and something other? Is this something that you consistently achieve with each and every dog? ( hope this doesn't come across as smart arse i am genuinely interested :D) Attacks her self when she hears wolfs howling - wow! I agree, i do think that what is acceptable for one owner may not be acceptable to another, but i am also interested in what as an individual would deem 100% right. The list i put up of course isn't fully inclusive, just a few of the more common bad habits. To me my dogs are pretty good. They walk well on the lead, they know all the basic commands and some more complex ones. I of course adore them :D but when i think about a situation where if they were for any reason required to live with someone else (obviously not going to happen unless me and my family are killed!) would they find the little things i accept, unaccepatable? For example Flute is the best (or worst) Bench Surfer EVER and is the most opportunistic thief i have come across. She know's its wrong and if you stumble across her when she is in the middle of a heist she will drop the offending object and run and hide in her crate without you having to say a word or change any sort of body language. She also will destroy any and all toothbrushes and handmade coat hangers she comes across. These are things i am working on as an ongoing project but it makes me wonder if she would achieve another home or fit in elsewhere if the need arose.

So i was at dog training today and i was wondering has anyone got it 100% right, have your brought up a dog that has zero bad habits or issues? Obviously im not talking about rescues or mature dogs. Have you ever raised a dog from a pup that is obedient with no problems? Is it a common thing? I guess i would define bad habits as the basics food aggression, pulls when walking, whines/whinges/barks when crated or waiting for something, counter surfers etc. I know there are members here who have done REMARKABLE things with mature dogs/rescues etc Shell and Zero spring immediately to mind. For those people, is there anything else you would improve in your dog or do you think that they are 100% successfully rehabbed? Alternatively do you think that this is something that may be subjective - something that you find acceptable with your dog (leading you to think you have a dog with no bad habits or issues) would be unacceptable for another dog owner? If you have id love to hear about it and if you have managed it with every dog. If not what will you change with your next dog?

I am so sorry for your heartbreaking loss, no words will ease your pain but hold close those treasured memories of your boy. Rest in Peace Eric. A lovely tribute to a beautiful soul.

So glad to hear

Wow LOVE the photos. I hope that Sapper and Andrew have many many happy years together and i hope they do join DOL!

I have seen lots of video clips on ferret's and love watching the ones with the happy dance. I am amazed at just how trainable they are! It may have been mentioned (but due to placing someone ignore im having trouble piecing together this thread a little now it seems to be a look at me, look at me, thread sadly) but i have been told that if ferrets are not desexed and then not allowed to bread they will actually become ill and die is that true? For those that do hunt their ferrets where did you learn from? Is there any ferret type shows or competitions?

Oh comeon....so people who kill their own meat are simply doing it from the goodness of their own heart? Nonsense. IT is purely for selfish reasons and none other than.... Some pretty broad assumptions there considering you claim you would not associate with " people like us" how would you know? So it's ok to put an animal out of it's misery but another to provide for your family? Not everyone has a male to do these things for them, some through loss,some by choice, some not. Actually don't worry about answering I have no wish to encourage your input in this thread. I think I'll put you on ignore, you are not the type of person I choose to associate with. I have always loved ferrets and am finding this thread very informative and really very interesting. I would really love to see them work.

:D It is very sad at first, however if when you compare the lifestyle of animals its a far better option for them, whilst it may not be as guilt free as picking up the shrink wrapped parcel from the supermarket you are making a small difference in the end. I'll just have make sure I don't name them....that is the condition OH tells me because he knows if I name them, there here for good :p Another thing too, I know that there will be food for the dogs afterwards. Owning several giant breeds, what could be a better diet for them? Sometimes I can't get offal and such for the girls. Methinks this might be a great idea and one I will feel good about :p Ahhh yes NEVER name anything that is supposed to end up in your freezer, also dont hand raise them you'll end up with a paddock full of awesome poddies Dorpas are a wonderful meat sheep and shed so dont need to be shorn. I approached a couple of farmers today and they were all more then happy for you to come down this way with your ferrets :D

:D It is very sad at first, however if when you compare the lifestyle of animals its a far better option for them, whilst it may not be as guilt free as picking up the shrink wrapped parcel from the supermarket you are making a small difference in the end.

We did this the year before last for our local area and it worked so well! Im a bit far away but want to wish you lots of luck!

No it wont change any time soon because people continue to support it by forking out $$ at the supermarket so that their conscious is clear or because they have no alternative. So you would see the farmer who farms his own beast have to buy and support the commercial industry because you are uninformed about the process. You find it difficult to believe because once again you are uniformed and make assumptions. No it is not pretty, yes it is very confronting however it is quick as apose to the process commercial animals go through. You base your research on Videos you have seen if this is where you source you facts from why dont you watch some videos on pig farming, feedlots and how they treats "downed cows".

Im guessing because they are present You make some very broad assumptions about people. Honestly if you were that against animal cruelty you would not buy supermarket meat, eggs from a supermarket or indeed eat meat or animal produce of any kind nor wear or own anything made of leather or animals by products. My freezer is full of home killed meat, i find it incredibly sad when i take the animal to be humanely killed and butchered however i know its had a great life living in its natural environment and the end is swift and humane. Compare that to the ongoing and extended torture of commercially farmed animals and i know which life id choose if i were an animal destined for the kill. By your logic its fine so long as you dont have to witness it and can pick it up in a nicely wrapped package innocent of the suffering it has incurred .... oh and as long as a woman was not involved? Does your logic then extend to women who work in abattoirs? In this town, i know of several single mums who work in the abattoir, living in a rural area yourself you would know how limited employment opportunities can be, should they quit their jobs and loose their only form of income because its not womens work? So in your rural area what happens if one day you hit some form of wildlife? Will you leave it to die in agony or would you put it out of its misery?

+2

Done and FB shared Love Sashys photo

I haven't posted yet but have been following since the start. I'm so relieved that your girls are doing so well! I do hope this is the start of much more positive things in the future after you rough time lately.

Ahh so a freshly dispatched quick kill is disgraceful but pigs that live their whole lives in appalling conditions without even room to move is perfectly acceptable as long as it comes to you in a shrink wrapped package? You have obviously never lived in a rural area. The majority of women i know will kill their own meat, butcher it and then cook it when they need too. But i bet if you met them one on one you would never know it. I guess you would be downright horrified if you found out you were talking to one of these women you portray to be rough around the edges because they are self sufficient. It must be nice to purchase your meat from the supermarket and rate yourself above those that shock horror hunt for their meat. Your right, on the one hand you have feedlot animals that spend their life in miserable, cramped conditions then are shipped off to slaughter houses in over crowded transport, many of whom suffer horrific injuries whilst they panic at the smell of death and fear in the air all so you can receive a lovely shrink wrapped product in the supermarket. Yup they have it way better to the animal that lives free in their natural environment and is dispatched quickly, efficiently and humanely. Nekhbet id love to come with you but i work through the week. There are plenty of farmers around here though that would LOVE for you to come ferreting though if you ever hanker for a trip to the Snowy Mountains.

That is just beautiful. I often think about those serving overseas and proudly support our brave servicemen and women. This has been sent to me several times and although I believe it has been proved to not authentic it really brings home to me what they give up to serve our country, it also makes me cry every time I read it. They told me the big black Lab's name was Reggie as I looked at him lying in his pen. the shelter was clean, no-kill, and the people really friendly. I'd only been in the area for six months, but everywhere I went in the small college town, people were welcoming and open. Everyone waves when you pass them on the street. But something was still missing as I attempted to settle in to my new life here, and I thought a dog couldn't hurt. Give me someone to talk to. And I had just seen Reggie's advertisement on the local news. The shelter said they had received numerous calls right after, but they said the people who had come down to see him just didn't look like "Lab people," whatever that meant. They must've thought I did. But at first, I thought the shelter had misjudged me in giving me Reggie and his things, which consisted of a dog pad, bag of toys almost all of which were brand new tennis balls, his dishes, and a sealed letter from his previous owner. See, Reggie and I didn't really hit it off when we got home. We struggled for two weeks (which is how long the shelter told me to give him to adjust to his new home). Maybe it was the fact that I was trying to adjust, too. Maybe we were too much alike. For some reason, his stuff (except for the tennis balls - he wouldn't go anywhere without two stuffed in his mouth) got tossed in with all of my other unpacked boxes. I guess I didn't really think he'd need all his old stuff, that I'd get him new things once he settled in. but it became pretty clear pretty soon that he wasn't going to. I tried the normal commands the shelter told me he knew, ones like "sit" and "stay" and "come" and "heel," and he'd follow them - when he felt like it. He never really seemed to listen when I called his name - sure, he'd look in my direction after the fourth of fifth time I said it, but then he'd just go back to doing whatever. When I'd ask again, you could almost see him sigh and then grudgingly obey. This just wasn't going to work. He chewed a couple shoes and some unpacked boxes. I was a little too stern with him and he resented it, I could tell. The friction got so bad that I couldn't wait for the two weeks to be up, and when it was, I was in full-on search mode for my cell phone amid all of my unpacked stuff. I remembered leaving it on the stack of boxes for the guest room, but I also mumbled, rather cynically, that the "dog probably hid it on me." Finally I found it, but before I could punch up the shelter's number, I also found his pad and other toys from the shelter.. I tossed the pad in Reggie's direction and he snuffed it and wagged, some of the most enthusiasm I'd seen since bringing him home. But then I called, "Hey, Reggie, you like that? Come here and I'll give you a treat." Instead, he sort of glanced in my direction - maybe "glared" is more accurate - and then gave a discontented sigh and flopped down. With his back to me. Well, that's not going to do it either, I thought. And I punched the shelter phone number. But I hung up when I saw the sealed envelope. I had completely forgotten about that, too. "Okay, Reggie," I said out loud, "let's see if your previous owner has any advice."......... _______________________________________ To Whoever Gets My Dog: Well, I can't say that I'm happy you're reading this, a letter I told the shelter could only be opened by Reggie's new owner. I'm not even happy writing it. If you're reading this, it means I just got back from my last car ride with my Lab after dropping him off at the shelter. He knew something was different. I have packed up his pad and toys before and set them by the back door before a trip, but this time... it's like he knew something was wrong. And something is wrong... which is why I have to go to try to make it right. So let me tell you about my Lab in the hopes that it will help you bond with him and he with you. First, he loves tennis balls. the more the merrier. Sometimes I think he's part squirrel, the way he hordes them. He usually always has two in his mouth, and he tries to get a third in there. Hasn't done it yet. Doesn't matter where you throw them, he'll bound after it, so be careful - really don't do it by any roads. I made that mistake once, and it almost cost him dearly. Next, commands. Maybe the shelter staff already told you, but I'll go over them again: Reggie knows the obvious ones - "sit," "stay," "come," "heel." He knows hand signals: "back" to turn around and go back when you put your hand straight up; and "over" if you put your hand out right or left. "Shake" for shaking water off, and "paw" for a high-five. He does "down" when he feels like lying down - I bet you could work on that with him some more. He knows "ball" and "food" and "bone" and "treat" like nobody's business. I trained Reggie with small food treats. Nothing opens his ears like little pieces of hot dog. Feeding schedule: twice a day, once about seven in the morning, and again at six in the evening. Regular store-bought stuff; the shelter has the brand. He's up on his shots. Call the clinic on 9th Street and update his info with yours; they'll make sure to send you reminders for when he's due. Be forewarned: Reggie hates the vet. Good luck getting him in the car - I don't know how he knows when it's time to go to the vet, but he knows. Finally, give him some time. I've never been married, so it's only been Reggie and me for his whole life. He's gone everywhere with me, so please include him on your daily car rides if you can. He sits well in the backseat, and he doesn't bark or complain. He just loves to be around people, and me most especially. Which means that this transition is going to be hard, with him going to live with someone new. And that's why I need to share one more bit of info with you.... His name's not Reggie. I don't know what made me do it, but when I dropped him off at the shelter, I told them his name was Reggie. He's a smart dog, he'll get used to it and will respond to it, of that I have no doubt. but I just couldn't bear to give them his real name. For me to do that, it seemed so final, that handing him over to the shelter was as good as me admitting that I'd never see him again. And if I end up coming back, getting him, and tearing up this letter, it means everything's fine. But if someone else is reading it, well... well it means that his new owner should know his real name. It'll help you bond with him. Who knows, maybe you'll even notice a change in his demeanor if he's been giving you problems. His real name is Tank. Because that is what I drive. Again, if you're reading this and you're from the area, maybe my name has been on the news. I told the shelter that they couldn't make "Reggie" available for adoption until they received word from my company commander. See, my parents are gone, I have no siblings, no one I could've left Tank with... and it was my only real request of the Army upon my deployment to Iraq , that they make one phone call the the shelter... in the "event"... to tell them that Tank could be put up for adoption. Luckily, my colonel is a dog guy, too, and he knew where my platoon was headed. He said he'd do it personally. And if you're reading this, then he made good on his word. Well, this letter is getting to downright depressing, even though, frankly, I'm just writing it for my dog. I couldn't imagine if I was writing it for a wife and kids and family. but still, Tank has been my family for the last six years, almost as long as the Army has been my family. And now I hope and pray that you make him part of your family and that he will adjust and come to love you the same way he loved me. That unconditional love from a dog is what I took with me to Iraq as an inspiration to do something selfless, to protect innocent people from those who would do terrible things... and to keep those terrible people from coming over here. If I had to give up Tank in order to do it, I am glad to have done so. He was my example of service and of love. I hope I honored him by my service to my country and comrades. All right, that's enough. I deploy this evening and have to drop this letter off at the shelter. I don't think I'll say another good-bye to Tank, though. I cried too much the first time. Maybe I'll peek in on him and see if he finally got that third tennis ball in his mouth. Good luck with Tank. Give him a good home, and give him an extra kiss goodnight - every night - from me. Thank you, Paul Mallory _____________________________________ I folded the letter and slipped it back in the envelope. Sure I had heard of Paul Mallory, everyone in town knew him, even new people like me. Local kid, killed in Iraq a few months ago and posthumously earning the Silver Star when he gave his life to save three buddies. Flags had been at half-mast all summer. I leaned forward in my chair and rested my elbows on my knees, staring at the dog. "Hey, Tank," I said quietly. The dog's head whipped up, his ears cocked and his eyes bright. "C'mere boy." He was instantly on his feet, his nails clicking on the hardwood floor. He sat in front of me, his head tilted, searching for the name he hadn't heard in months. "Tank," I whispered. His tail swished. I kept whispering his name, over and over, and each time, his ears lowered, his eyes softened, and his posture relaxed as a wave of contentment just seemed to flood him. I stroked his ears, rubbed his shoulders, buried my face into his scruff and hugged him. "It's me now, Tank, just you and me. Your old pal gave you to me." Tank reached up and licked my cheek. "So whatdaya say we play some ball? His ears perked again. "Yeah? Ball? You like that? Ball?" Tank tore from my hands and disappeared in the next room. And when he came back, he had three tennis balls in his mouth. Tank

Its amazing how common these idiots are and somewhat terrifying. Last time i went to the dog beach we were totally alone and both girls had a ball offlead. I always put them back on lead to walk back to the car as the carpark is right on the road. Come up over the sand dune and a massive dog comes barreling up to my girls. I call out saying my dogs arent so good with strange dogs in thier face. Guy calls back "oh its allright he is friendly" dog comes over hackles up and growling, girls go into still mode and other dog starts lunging at them. I put them both behind me and yelled "NO BAD DOG" at the dog. Man starts screaming at me for beating his dog Umm i didnt touch your dog. Another owner with a lab on a lead comes up the path and the mans dog spins around and lunges at the new dog, man calls out "its allright he is friendly" Woman says well mine isnt put him on lead. Man walks off muttering about how female shouldn't own dogs :p

Oh dear Earl! How worrying for you KHM. So glad he is ok and will recover well. I know just how you feel, i am constantly worried about Flute who will eat anything. She started vomiting one morning as i was on the phone to make sure the vet was there she vommitted up a plastic bag ;) ;) Lots of healing thoughts sent Earls way and hugs for his worried family.

Here are our k-9 family portraits! Flutey smelling the flowers Just the girls