corrie

Hi Sandy. I think it is great you are doing a story on this. I am sure you have already thought of this but just wanted to reinforce the need to tell people that reputable rescue organisations and reputable registered breeders are the best way to go and that they need to put a bit of research into what type of dog would suit there lifestyle rather than just choose a dog on looks as an impulse purchase. I have noticed a lot of working breeds in my local pet shop window lately and have wondered if people know what they are getting in to when the impulse buy those little fluff balls and sadly also wonder how many of the litter will end up being surrendered at the local shelter.

I second Backcountry K-9. :D

:D Later in the evening watching TV when one of the dogs starts whining to go out OH or I will turn to each other and say, "YOUR dog needs to go to the toilet, you better let him out" :D

That is great MW. Do you still need someone to walk the fluffies?

It is quite upsetting to have to stand by when someone who has given so much to others can't get help themselves when it is most needed. I can't go because of work. If there is anyone that wants to takes this offer up and can go ASAP but transport costs are a problem due to being interstate or in another area of the state then I would be happy to contibute towards transport costs......petrol, air fare, whatever. This could be a fantastic opportunity for someone to have a nice get away whilst helping a good person who goes out of her way to help others.

I have personally found grief to be all consuming and I think in the initial stage of the loss of a loved one it is not so abnormal to not be able to function normally. I think it is when people can't move from that same level of grief after the passing of time that there is probably a deeper issue I agree with what Skysoaringmagpie wrote. That poem is beautiful.

I know this is an old topic but I am still not sure which scent to order. I was thinking peppermint. Anyone got any more feedback on the different scents.

I do worry about it sometimes. When they are eating a heap sometimes I tell them to leave it because it makes me worry about a blockage.

I find carrying a backpack myself keeps me hands free to keep hold of the leash. That must have been scarey and worrying for you. From what you have posted it sounds like the man was petrifyed and acting irrationally (and aggressively) out of fear.

I like that one. Pick up after your dog. Do not pat a strange dog without permission from the owner. Keep your dog on lead unless you are in a designated leash free area. When in leash free areas do not let you dog annoy or hump other dogs.

Love it.

I was just thinking (that is scary enough in itself) and wondered if it would work to raise community awareness to decide on the 10 biggest issues regarding dogs and the general population and...um...well, I'm not sure really.....I was kind of thinking maybe put them on flyers for the leash free park, notice boards, pet shops or notices in the letters section of the paper. What prompted the thought is the copious amounts of topics we get on here of people doing the wrong things such as dogs off lead in on lead areas. Alot of people with a family pet wouldn't seek out a dog website and 10 Golden rules is probably fairly easy to remember. I don't really know. I'm just rambling.

OMG....that sounds great if you are of the same opinion but if my OH allowed wet & all dogs in the house I would be having a fit. what's another three sets of wet paw prints and wet dogs in the house. It's rained non stop for a week. It's just dirt and water and it will wash off. We've tiled our entire house from top to bottom and we simply chuck the lounges out and buy new one's every couple of years. I don't mind mopping but I hate washing walls Sorry OT but had to comment on the washing walls thing. Hate it, hate it, hate it. Wish the dogs would learn to walk through doors properly, too.

Would you be so upset if your child was asked if he had clean hands before picking up a book or some other inanimate object. Children explore and often get dirty. That it great if it means they are not sitting infront of a computer or television all day. So what if a child has dirty hands and so what if someone asks if they do before touching something they don't want dirty. Stop taking everything so personal. No one is critisising YOUR child. Settle down.

What annoys me is when people pull out the "what is more important" comparison. Just because someone doesn't want strangers putting their possibly sticky hands over their dogs coat that has taken hours to groom does not mean they are saying that dogs are more important than children. Go to a car show and see how happy a show car owner would be to have strangers wiping their hands over their freshly polished Monaro.

You have quite an aggressive posting style. This is not about comparing the importance of children and dogs.

Dogmad, for me personally that is not OK but that is subjective and dependent on which side of the fence you live. I do have an issue that is not out of the relms of this discussion and I have taken to fixing the problem from my side of the fence. I would have loved it if fence extentions could have immediately fixed my problem and I would have begged or borrowed to get the extra money for them. Unfortunately my problem calls for some massive screen trees but they are coming along nicely. If a neighbour came to me with a similar problem as Sheriden I would move the tramploine imediately, without hesitation. If it was the other way around I personally would not ask as I know there are many people who would view the situation like Ruger. And I don't see how inroducing a 12 year old dog with dementia to the children would solve anything.

Spot on Danios, 100% in agreement with you. Ah Ruger - I'll bet the dog your son wanted to pat was light coloured. Exhibitor spends about 6 hours tarting up the dog, and a child puts a dirty handmark right in the middle of the dog ... too late to get it out before judging. Some exhibitors are happier about pats than others too, and you probably struck the wrong one. Dalmation in it's crate would have been protecting its territory - probably ok out of the crate. I never walk too close to crates at shows, because a lot of the dogs do fly up to the front (and frighten the daylights out of me). Also, some of the competitors may not be too experienced, and haven't learned how to stop the dogs doing it. One of the nicest memories I have of showing my 2 cockers is of after the judging, little kids came along and wanted to pat them - kids and pups had a wonderful romp for 1/2 an hour, coz I was gossiping, and the cockers lived kids. Don't despair, lots of exhibitors love kids and after judging, he will probably find heaps of dogs to pat. Well, I hope so :D And Sheridan needs to do something to avoid future problems. Good luck, Sheridan. I can appreciate the effort people go to to get their dogs ready for a show. It wasn't a light coloured dog though and it was on the ground in the dust and dirt anyway. But I have taught my son always to ask permission before touching anyones dog, and he is taught to respect our dogs at all times. I can also appreciate a dog protecting it's territory, but not when a child is involved and not with the aggression this dog displayed - aggressive behavior is not to be tolerated, isn't that the rule? I'm glad your dogs play and enjoy the company of children, as do mine, but I'm sure you can appreciate that this did not leave a good taste in my mouth when my son is bawling because a dog just flew at him and scared the living daylights out of him! Sheridan does need to do something about the situation, but IMO that would be to control her dogs. And I am sure your child will not walk so close to a tethered or caged dog again. We all have to take measures to prtect ourselves from an imperfect world. Sheriden, I personally would deal with it from from my side of the fence. Fast growing screen trees, fence extentions, shadecoth, bringing the dogs inside, blocking off the area from the dogs are some options. They will possibly move the tramp around the yard anyway because of the grass underneath.

As an air and fabric refresher I am using Oust 3 in 1 in the outdoor scent. It smells so fresh.

I just had a look at the Dyson website because I have been curious about the new pet hair product and it is a brush attatchment for the vacume. It says it is for medium to long hair dogs. I wonder if mine count as medium. It would be good to be able to try things like this to save buying something that might end up in with the dog stuff that hardly ever gets used. LINK

Dyson are launching something for pet hair soon. I wonder if it could be a brush attatchment for the vacume? :p

They didn't go into health testing of parents or anything but they did give some good information. Larry also stressed what a serious decision it is to get a dog, etc etc. Dr Katrina would have been able to give a bit more information if Larry hadn't gotten the puppies all excited, gotten nipped on the hand and said "Sh1t" on air.

Same as title.

Beautiful. Good Khan.