redangel

I recently came across an echidna in my travels...and true to form he burrowed down. I waited ...and waited..and waited some more...finally he popped his head out and I got to see the little face. I was hand held, heavy lens and manual focus...I braced myself up against a tree. I often brace myself against things..except this tree had some hungry ants on it

For birds, panning & critters I have been told a monopod is useful.

Anyone have an opinion on this & what to look for?

What experience do you have with monopods...I rarely take the tri out because its set up would cause me to miss shots & lugging it around is a bother.

If I Didn't Have A Dog...Or Cat......

I could walk barefoot around the yard in safety.

My house could be carpeted instead of tiled and

laminated.

All flat surfaces, clothing, furniture, and cars would

be hair-free.

When the doorbell rings, my home wouldn't sound

like a kennel. When the doorbell rings, I could get to the door without

wading through all the fuzzy bodies who beat me there.

could sit on the couch and my bed any way I wanted,

without having to take into consideration how much

space several fur bodies need to get comfortable.

I would have enough money, and no guilt, to go on

a real vacation.

I would not be on a first-name basis with 6 veterinarians,

as I put their yet unborn grandkids through college.

The most used words in my vocabulary would not be:

"out," "sit," "down", "come," "no," "stay,"

and "leave it ALONE.

My house would not be cordoned off into zones with baby gates and makeshift barriers.

I would not talk 'baby talk'. 'Eat your din din'. 'Yummy

yummy for the tummy'..

My house would not look like a day care center, with toys everywhere.

My pockets would not contain things like poop bags, treats

and an extra leash.

I would no longer have to spell the words B-A-L-L,

S-U-P-P-E-R, W-A-L-K, T-R-E-A-T, G-O R-I-D-E,

And C-O-O-K-I-E.

I would not have as many leaves INSIDE my house as

outside.

I would not look strangely at people who think having

ONE dog/cat ties them down too much.

Sorry for your loss Tralee. Just over four years old, way too young.

Update after a week of feeding grain free her condition in her coat & skin has improved. I slipped up the other night and gave her a small piece of bacon. She scratched all night. It got me thinking. She has had Xmas ham, puppy chewies & smoked pigs ears...could nitrates be possibly a cause for her itchies??? Does anyone know of this?

Happier as the fur loss has eased considerably.

Lovely photos. Sweet soul.

Good new Cazstaff. I too have shared the story with my doggie contacts who use/frequent groomers.

EverthingShiny is onto something there. When the time is right could you see yourself write a tribute story to your Buddy & share it on FB? I could write something for my friends to read but the story is heartfelt & yours Castaff. That way Buddys legacy will go on as people share the story & heed notice they should consider carefully the groomers they choose to leave their pets with are within the code of operation. FB is a good media for sharing such things. If it saves a dog from attending a badly managed groomer it would be so worth it.

You have been so brave through this & I admire your clear headedness as I wonder if I could have shown such attributes should I have had such an incident occur to one of my dogs.

♥

Feeling everyones pain...the neighbours cat sits on the front sills of the house hissing at my dogs through the window

Yesterday it went into the yard...I didnt see it but my dogs did...it turned from a British short hair to a British hair on end...and made a run for it, closely tailed by 2 dogs.

I thought on the upside it would deter the cat...

This morning I went outside prior to the dogs & it was back

Ive shussed it out of the front yard before (sick of cat poos) and the owners came over & mouthed off at me for having a go at their cat.

Wonderful!

Did you manage to have the snake removed? Was the snake id'ed

Wonderful!

I wonder if it was like those "smoked' bones they sell in supermarkets here. Surely any cooked bone is a no no for dogs.

First I would visit a vet to rule out grass seed or that the ear drum has been damaged. For ongoing treatment or recurrent ear isssues I have used the malaseb wash, one of my dogs was always getting ear issues & since using the wash after bathing I have not had an problem.

Ears are very hard to examine fully at home due to their structure so a visit to the vet so examination is done with an otiscope is the best starting point.

Wishing a smooth recovery for Spud. Thankfully he was found & taken to the vet promptly. A nervous time but at least he is receiving the best care at this time.

" I do also believe that we should be looking at far greater risks to the breed like bad conformation, bad temperament, and particularly the health issues becoming so prevalent."

I agree whole heartily with this statement said earlier. But that assumes a lot of negativity on a breeder...a generalization that in producing dogs a new color all other conformation/temperament and such are going to go out the window.

My question is..unless there is a clear genetic predisposition to deafness etc... what determines what colors are acceptable where the color is accepted overseas?

Poodles have many variants now. Some colors require black pigment others brown. Apricots should have dark pigment but some are out there with liver/light points....does that assume then that the poodle breed is "ruined"? Breeders of those colors breeding to standard would be aiming to have correct pigment with their breeding and mindful of conformation. Can a color ruin a breed?

Silver Beige have been shown to title... Blues and blacks exist together in the ring. Would not Partis be subject to the same standard , yet specific color standards applied to the coat color? Poodle breeders have gene testing available & knowledge of what colors should not be bred to what color/ what matings improve pigment etc... In the case of Partis what makes them so different?

Tempeh sounds like she should be working the airports. Just saying :laugh:

She has been itchy since about 4 mths of age. It coincides with spring/summer. Speaking to the vet we will use the tablets dispensed for her ( I was hoping the malaseb would be of use, dont like using meds unless a real need)and continue adding oils to her diet. I have been giving her the odd sardine. After the hot weather small tufts of hair are noticeable on the chair she sits on. Herr itching always seems more intense after a bout of hot weather. Coupled with changing her dry food I will set up an appointment to discuss putting her on a diet allergy regime.

Ok. no we dont have poultry...unless you call the annoying magpie troop of four that frequents my yard in that...pup has a facination for rolling in their poop.

She is a poodle.

I have purchased some grainfree food and given her an antihistamine for relief (hopefully). Would giving her her brisket bone be bad for elimination of things from her diet?

How sweet

Great pictures! Ive never been to the snow in my memory (I might have as a toddler)

Read this thread and hoping for you a good outcome. I too had a rescue that ate through car seats, couch, walls scratched at doors till his nails bled and architraves. He had been abused relentlessly in his former home and was just a perfectly loyal companion (excelled at obedience work)but alas he couldnt be left alone. We contained him in a small area like his own personal panic room so he couldnt injure himself. Alas it still causes me pain to this day that one day he freaked out chewed through a window lock & we never did find him.

Owning him was a real emotional rollercoaster. I can only add that I feel for you.

I have a 7 mth old pup that is constantly itchy. Ringworm and fungal infection have been ruled out. Skin appears a little dry coat is thinning. No lesions visible..or hotspots. I have some antihistamines here just prescribed by the vet. Malaseb washes have done nothing to stop itching. No fleas. Unless sleeping pup is scratching or playing.

What can I do to relieve this? I am considering changing to grainfree dry food. Presently dog is on diet of raw meat & cooked chicken/veg/pasta. I am hoping the antihistamines will work soon.

Any ideas for relief or possible causes?

Just a stunning boy!

Id say Lobo is quite ticked at being captured...its the same look my dogs give me when Im taking a shot of them napping. Eyes say it all :)

Just wonderful!