Snowysal

me neither but it just aint gonna happen - I'm up checking weather reports and the Cabramurra to Khancoban road is closed which is the only viable option for us for a day trip. The only other way is a 6 hr each way road trip - we wouldnt even get there till lunchtime if we did go and home at midnite with work tomorrow.

sigh

far better to spend the day with our own dogs before another week of work.

better planning for next year and go the nite before I think.

we have our fingers crossed we can cross the mountains early tomorrow morning - a huge day to get there But well worth it - so looking forwrd to it - apparently 70 drivers and 350 dogs entered.if we get there will post photos.

anyone else up there or going?

Sensible advice FHRP - Joel have you looked into a Belgian shepherd or even flick down through the breed pages, perhaps the currently very popular staffie,or even a JRT, smart as a tack,agile good for flyball or just chilling. Im sure theres many other breeds out there people would be willing to offer advice on as well - try changing your heading on the main page to invite their advice also.

I probably sidestep pups/dogs heading for me as well .... come to think of it. :D

Oh pers - I just had a hilarious vision of you quick stepping all over the place and eventually running when you met our lot

They expect people to make them the centre of attention

There are lots of wonderfully bred GSP's on here - I don't think its the place or the right thing to do here(naming specific breeders) but we went to Tassie and met ours(latest one) at 4 weeks old and she was flown to ACT when she was finally old enough.

A good breeder will give you back up and be interested long after the pup goes home with you.

It didnt bother her one bit - in fact she was put out and belligerent if anything about it(a testiment to her breeders excellent preparation we think). She also bonded instantly as much as she was ready to. The Tassie Devil (Flute) is deeply entrenched in our family a year on.

Just a small ( )warning - I notice noone has given you any and I KNOW our girls are not exclusive in this. GSP's are addictive and they can also be quite expensive in the destructive area of things. eg our girls have (over the years) destroyed carpets (chewing them up) beds,furniture,smashed full size plate glass windows(ninja throws over the shoulder wrestling) countless chewed and stolen toys,knick knacks and frankly in Flutes case - anything that takes her fancy - they can be a full on breed which is why you often see the phrase- éxperienced in the breed'when referring to them.Also their hunting instinct is EXTREMELY strong- meaning they can nick off in a flash if you take your eyes off them for a second off leash.

All that being said - we wouldnt live without them. Sienna has just come in with me from down the paddock turning the horses out and letting off her steam for the day. Now to do the same for the others then light the fire and watch them all crash for the day with a beef chew.

Can I make a suggestion - if your not dead set on starting with a puppy try looking on the DOL home page (very top left hand corner of this page is a link) then look down the menu to the rescue page and then go breed specific - theres usually a few lovely dogs looking for a home on there. In the GSP case its often because people either havnt committed for life to the dog, their circumstances have changed unexpectedly or they just were not prepared to have a dog of these breeds,

i live with Dust Angel and out 3 GSP's full on one minute and out cold the next. Even the rescue girl she mentioned who sleeps in my room with the cat and a JRT rescue- her issues are mainly about being desperate for warmth ,security and attention.

Anyway you go - keep us informed Joel and good luck-if you run into bumps dont be afraid to go especially to the breed specific pages and ask for help - everyone is usually a font of experience and willingness to help.

Its a brave and loving thing you did for your boy today(and so very difficult) my thoughts are with you all on this sad day.

I spoke with Chris on the weekend and she was telling me about the first time that she took Banjo to see his Dad. Apparently Banjo had been very, very quiet at her house and not overly interested in much. She took him in to see his Dad who called him and Banjo suddenly turned into a very, very animated dog. He leapt all over his owner and then looked at him as if to say "Okay Dad, you're here, I've found you, lets go home". Apparently from that visit he has been a different dog who is again enthusiastic about everything in this world.

Banjo's owner had apparently said to someone only the week before his accident that there were two things he was proud of in his life - one was his house and the other was Banjo. It would have been an absolute tragedy if at such a bad point in his life he'd lost the only family he has.

Chris is an amazing woman - everything she and her OH do is done above and beyond the call of duty. She makes the world a wonderful place.

Trish

Life was feeling a little tough tonight - then some dear friends made me feel very special and yours and Steves reports on these special people and Banjo - have restored a flagging spirit and kicked my butt back to where it belongs with a good dose of humbleness.Please pass on my and everyone elses admiration and appreciation to Chris and her partner, and if you see Banjo give him a hug from me.That young man has so much to face and now he has a mate to face it with him - sounds like they have a very special bond.Heartwarming stuff on a cold winters night.

Ive only just seen this Jane - I know how much you love and care for your dogs, although these dreadfilled days are inevitable, we can never deal with them any better. It was Sally's lucky day on that day when you picked her up from the pound - she found love and true caring again along with a quality life. Rest easy Sally.Hugs to you Jane.

We feel for you - hugs from Bythorn

Thanks LC - he truly would wouldnt he ? I think its his calling - and now Im teaching him to bark from a hand signall - just in case(wink)

Holy guacamole thats one hell of a story and one hell of a lucky Staffy

awwww melt - spose we better stop shameless flaunting and hijacking the thread this could go on and on lol.

Oh - shes lovely - I'm sure George would think so too(having the op late in life) he is currently swooning over the only other similar sized female who is friendly to him Zulu is 6 months old and they play and rumble like young pups together(the big girls are a bit boisterous and the older cats absolute snobs)

Lunar - the GSP in my sig has had like a reverse sneeze thing after she drinks ever since we rescued her. Various opinions (vets and others) have attributed it to her neglected youth out in the open in very bad weather, damage to her neck from being tied up/led and yanked and an underlying respiratory problem lurking. She has been the same - no sicker, no worse no different for several years - otherwise very healthy, just the reverse sneeze thing for a minute after every drink.

None of the others do it.

Good to hear Champa has recovered and you too.....dog enclosure complete with concreted no dig out fenced panels and maybe the curry powder or vicks vapour rub or something similar to coat the garage in.Something that stings or burns lightly without damaging the dog.

Oh dear Kirty

It seems we all have our lists of destruction , Ive seen an entire huge expensive soft toy collection transformed into a 3 foot high pile of 'snow'stuffing and random arms, legs, tails ears and eyes.

Lost count of how many lounges and chairs have 'bitten'the dust.Other random pieces of household furniture.

2 full wall size plate glass windows fell victim to the dogs Nija moves around the lounge room.

metres of carpets,metres of arcatrave, doors and door handles, fences and gardens.Flyscreens do not last 30 seconds.

We have 3 GSP's one of whom is a darling but the most complusive thief on the planet . Currently lying on the lounge next to me - If I left the room something - anything would disappear from the kitchen - it always does.

So we crate and we shut them in damage control spaces and we have resorted to K9Force in Sydney. We got great advice and techniques that worked on some issues we were experiencing. Life this week is calm - who knows what the future holds.

Hang in there - do what you need to so you recover and step up.I feel for you - that anger is a terrible feeling.

presenting George....oozing in character aged 9yrs, gets on well with dogs and cats, obediant, likes long walks and cuddling by the fire is surprisingly agile and very smart(as most of his type seem to be), hes been with us around a year now I think and yes he does seem to know what a camera is and will play for it.....

edited to say yes , he does have legs contrary to the photos

If you like the look of George inmy signiture send me a PM - I can travel and handle him and hes extremley well behaved and smart PLUS he was a rescue dog and would happily state that. Í could do with taking a few days holiday.

I have edited this to say he looks a little odd in my sig lol so I'll add another pic of him in a min.

ahhh - your home...thats grand to see.

Cheers to the angels that have helped guide you back and now its time to start your new chapter.

looking forward to your insightful and entertaining posts again. The DOL book has been missing a page for a while.

Welcome Home.

Weve had this problem in the past but ours was primarily hormonaly induced with a phantom pregnancy - it has never been completly elliminated but we have adjusted our household accordingly. this was necessary for both the dogs and our own safety since we live out of town and an accidental bite needing medical attention is not quite so easy to to attend to.

Anyway we used the opportunity to introduce crates into our home and now they feature in our lounge. We keep our dogs seperate 98% of the time but also together because they are only in crates - this is rotated every couple of hours and the dogs are in the lounge with us 2 in crates and 2 out the ones who are out have access to the doggy door in the laundry and then the large dog yard out the back.

Necessary because they are mostly big dogs with plenty of power and they live with us as a pack and we have to retain pack leadership under our rules.I will add that the three big dogs are all bitches - the youngest is the only undesexed for showing purposes and the only small (JRT) is the male and he growls the most(failed rescue) so he has to be kept safe from the girls who are not in to taking too much lip from him.

I loved that comment ealier about most dogs being only too happy to finish off a disiplining for you - how true. Weve had dgs over my life that have been born house police - dobbing others in for misdemenours whenever they can - hilarious.

grown into a gorgeous girl -and obviously happy. Hope the eye surgery went well.

Another great save.

Wonderful save(great team effort from your dog, yourself and your OH) but you must follow it through by making someone aware that it can and did happen, so they have the opportnuity to stop it happening when your not there to rescue.

We just came across this thread with disbelief(DA and I) and have read with happiness to the end - partly because were a lil bit crook and a drive down to Blacktown to pick him up this weekend would have been stretching us both but it would have been done. Cant tell you how happy we are to know Wolf is in a far far better place than he has ever been before and will live out his days how he deserves.

Well done rescuers - brilliant save.

I would so like to come across his x owners some day soon.

awwwww Happy Birthday Saxon.