Robbi

Yogi has survived through the night The vet said he was breathing with no difficulties and very sedated(I wish I was) I am going to drop William at school then go in and see him. I have just walked around the paddock and found the bit of branch that staked him, a harmless enough looking bit of wood but with about 3 inches of blood on it and askid mark on the ground next to it. I am trying to find the memory card for my camera to upload a photo of it as it looks harmless. Just a freak accident but I keep thinking of how this horrible thing could have been avoided, lately Yogi has been wearing his lovely thickweatherbeeta jacket outside but yesterday I left it of him as the weather was better, it probably would have saved him.

I am sitting waiting for the vet to ring with the latest updates, thank you all for your kind words and prayers, I cant believe how this has happened, somebody needs to invent a kevlar vest for Whippets, the vet said it was luck Yogi was on the plump size as otherwise it would have pierced his lung.

After Yogi and Abbie spent most of the weekend inside due to the storms, they made the most of the sunshine today and had a lovely run around the house paddock, suddenly my nice afternoon came to a sudden end, Yogi let out a bloodcurdling scream and collapsed on the ground, I rushed up to him to discover a huge gaping wound on his chest just behind his front leg, as he had been running near some fencing material I feared he had staked himself on a star dropper. We raced to the vet and he immeddiatly went in to surgery. the vet discovered that Yogi's chest cavity had been punctured and there were bits of wood in the wound, it was a stick. I have had some branches come down in the last couple of days of wild weather and one of these has caused the damage, the vet spent an hour operating on Yogi and he is now stable but the worry is there may be some wood splinters in his chest still. I cannot thank my vets Derek and Lyn Welles enough as they were about to close when I came racing in with Yogi and it would have been a long trip down the freeway to the emergency clinic. I pray my litle guy makes it through this freak and horrible accident as he is my heart and soul

Wonderful news, Banjo would have been instrumental in his owners will to fight for every bit of movement regained I am sure. The foster carers souind like they deserve public recognition for their outstanding care and support of Banjo and his owner, this should be a news story. Pacers, this is the sort of support net that the dog world desperately needed, thankyou

Run free beautiful Nelson :p Gone way too soon , due to the ignorance of people Thankyou k9angel for that moving poem, I just think that without wonderful rescuers like you there would be even more "Nelsons".

Sharky is a youtube favourite of mine, I often show him to people who claim that all Bull breeds are killer hounds

More knowledgeable people than me are offering some great advice to you but dont let the dogs size come into the equation, there are dominant dogs(or dogs that show dominant behaviour) in all sizes. Often the biiger dogs are more laid back in reality. Please dont try to stare down dogs this is a sure fire way to cause big problems as will taking away food bowls etc. I think it would be best for you and both the dogs in your care if you sought professional help, goodluck

All the acts of cruelty being reported in the media makes me ashamed to be the same species as these monsters, I realise due to the internet we are probably hearing about them more than we used to but words fail me Poor puppy, I hope the rest of its life is filled with love and kindness.

Sophie sounds like a sweet little puppy and behaving remarkably well I find with chooks its a gradual proccess of de-sensitisation and supervision, at the moment everything in Sophies world is new and exciting. Dogs on the bed is a personal preference I guess but my dogs have always slept on my bed and I have never had an issue. At one stage I had a Staghound, Kelpie and Cocker sleeping on the bed and it was a bit of a squeeze, until I got divorced :D My son has never been adversly affected by beddogs but he does prefer the cat on his bed because the cat doesn't take up as much room.

I have worked for many years in the funeral industry and was often worried when I did transfers of deceased people from their homes what was happening to animals left in the house, I have at times taken two budgies and a goldfish with me in the transfer van when informed that there was no next of kin as I couldn't bear the thought of them starving to death. Dogs often come to their owners funerals and are made to feel an important part of proceedings. I remember well a Brittany Spaniel who had behaved impecably the whole service giving a heartwrenching howl as the owners coffin was lowered into the catafaulqe at the commital at the end of the service. I would never judge anybody who pts a dog that may have an uncertain future, there are many, many things worse than a humane death.

This is a very touching poem, sorry I couldn't enlarge the photo I hope it is readable

Run free Paddy, what a moving tribute to a very special dog

;) I hope that Angel is loved and valued for the rest of his days, as he is very special and truly an angel

This afternoon Jess was lying in the afternoon sun when her little old body could go no further, her legs gave way and she never stood again. We love you Jess and you will now be next to Charli surveying the farm and all of us left behind. Until we meet at the bridge my darling girl I will carry you in my heart.

I have Many, many more!

My Whippet lives with a Bull Arabx puppy and a Kelpie, he was raised with a large Sighthound and he gives as good as he gets ;) Whippets are suprisingly resiliant(as long as they have a warm spot in front of the fire to recover from their exertions) He is a big Whippet! and maybe a bit meatier than some

5. CAGE SIZES (a) Animals kept either in groups or individual confinement must have space to feed, sleep, sit, stand, lie with limbs extended, stretch and move about. (b) Special provision must be made to prevent the young of any species being overlain. © Not withstanding the above, dogs and puppies must be exercised according to breed and age, but for a minimum of ten minutes, at least three times daily (d) Dogs and cats of any age must not be left unattended for more than sixteen hours I am sure people with more knowledge and experience will read through the recomendations but I found the above paragraphs quite unacceptable-16 hours per day left unattended is a long time to leave animals unsupervised and in danger of all sorts of disasters I would have thought. Moreover 30 minutes a day out of a cage is a minuscule amount of time If these are improvements what ar the legislations at the moment?

Those poor dogs, what monsters we have sharing the world with us It is great to see how quickly the dogs are gaining weight and incredbly their faith in people doesn't seem to be damaged.

Looks like it was a great day,Yogi wishes that he could have come but we had to do fencing due to the storms recently so he and Abbie had paddock zoomies instead.

I found it on the East Galway animal rescue website when I was looking at the photo's of Bruce enjoying his freedom ;) It moved me deeply

Great news, Bruce has finally been freed from his unfair imprisonment, the photo's of him taking his first walk on facebook are truly lovely, it looks like he is in heaven now.

AN APOLOGY TO BREED BAN ENTHUSIASTS I'm sorry you are frightened of my dogs and are trying to have them killed because they are pit bulls. I'm sorry you lack the understanding of this breed's true history, gentleness with people, wonderful temperament, intelligence and behavioral conformation. I'm sorry you won't read the ATTS stats regarding our breed's true temperament, putting it in the top four for temperament, scoring better than breeds like Golden Retrievers, and cocker spaniels. I'm sorry that you side with and protect animal abusers by marking the breed of dog, and not the irresponsibility of the owner. I'm sorry that by your logic I could steal a car, run some people over with it and then you can blame the make of car for the accident, as I walk free. I'm sorry you generalize one breed of dog with one group of people. I'm sorry you can't see the love and determination that many often highly educated, non-criminal and "normal" types of people show towards this breed and the great personal sacrifices that they make to take care of their dog responsibly. I'm sorry you cannot go into the shelters and see the hundreds of abandoned and abused pit bulls, dying only for the insane "crime" of being born the breed they are. I'm sorry you cannot see the look of disappointment in their eyes as someone walks by their kennel, and refuses to consider adopting them based on an ill educated fear mongering reporter. I'm sorry that you cannot be there when the animal looks at a human for the last time, and in spite of betrayed by all humans they have met, their tail still wags as someone approaches with the syringe of Euthinol. I'm sorry you cannot be there when law enforcement shoots one of your dogs dead inside it's own home in front of the children it mutually loves for simply getting off the dog bed and walking over to say hello with it's tail wagging. I'm sorry you cannot be there to rescue pit bull puppies from a plastic bag in a dumpster, dumped there by someone switching their illegal, and inhumane activities to another, more lucrative breed. I'm sorry you cannot understand the difference between canine and human aggression, in the way that this breed can. Yes, I'm saying my pit bull is smarter then you. I'm sorry that the medieval witch-hunting genetics of intolerance, generalization, and racism make you feel the need to vilify a breed of dog. I'm sorry that justice, equality, tolerance, common sense are all things you hold dear as a fellow Canadian, and expect from others, but do not yourself offer them towards a pit bull or its caregiver. I'm sorry that you don't take the constructive time to petition changes in the Canadian animal cruelty act, and in the criminal code that would deal out serious punishment to the real animal abusers. I'm sorry you cannot see the disappointed look on a puppy's face when the people petting it quickly frown, and walk away when you tell them it is a pit bull. I'm sorry you feel the need to terrorize my family and my dogs for crimes we never have and never will commit. I'm sorry you don't have to live in fear of your dog's safety from hysterical, and mentally unstable people trying to inflict all manner of evil upon your dogs. I'm sorry that you cannot see my breed working in some of the best Search and Rescue groups in the world, saving countless lives each year. I'm sorry our media censors and refuses to print the breed name "pit bull' when in connection with a positive act such as saving a person or child from a burning house, drowning, wild attacking animals, etc. I'm sorry you cannot see the many pit bulls registered as therapy dogs and bringing so much joy to another misunderstood, neglected demographic in our society, the senior citizen. I am sorry you can't see a pit bull kiss a child, step carefully over a kitten, or play in a sunbeam. I'm sorry you cannot wake in the morning to feel a warm pit bull cuddled next to you in bed, and know that you are their total world, and even if the house caught fire and trapped you, they would stay with you to the end. But, now that I really think about it, I'm not at all sorry you don't own a pit bull--you do not deserve one. EGAR, January 2007 to be continued ...

GENERAL APPEARANCE The American Pit Bull Terrier is a medium-sized, solidly built, short-coated dog with smooth, well-defined musculature. This breed is both powerful and athletic. The body is just slightly longer than tall, but bitches may be somewhat longer in body than dogs. The length of the front leg (measured from point of elbow to the ground) is approximately equal to one-half of the dog’s height at the withers. The head is of medium length, with a broad, flat skull, and a wide, deep muzzle. Ears are small to medium in size, high set, and may be natural or cropped. The relatively short tail is set low, thick at the base and tapers to a point. The American Pit Bull Terrier comes in all colors and color patterns except merle. This breed combines strength and athleticism with grace and agility and should never appear bulky or muscle-bound or fine-boned and rangy. Above all else, the APBT must have the functional capability to be a catch dog that can hold, wrestle (push and pull) and breathe easily while doing its job. Balance and harmony of all parts are critical components of breed type. Very Serious Fault: Any disproportionate overdone characteristic (such as short legs, excessive bone or massive head or body) that would interfere with working ability. CHARACTERISTICS The essential characteristics of the American Pit Bull Terrier are strength, confidence, and zest for life. This breed is eager to please and brimming over with enthusiasm. APBTs make excellent family companions and have always been noted for their love of children. Because most APBTs exhibit some level of dog aggression and because of its powerful physique, the APBT requires an owner who will carefully socialize and obedience train the dog. The breed’s natural agility makes it one of the most capable canine climbers so good fencing is a must for this breed. The APBT is not the best choice for a guard dog since they are extremely friendly, even with strangers. Aggressive behavior toward humans is uncharacteristic of the breed and highly undesirable. This breed does very well in performance events because of its high level of intelligence and its willingness to work. HEAD The APBT head is unique and a key element of breed type. It is large and broad, giving the impression of great power, but it is not disproportionate to the size of the body. Viewed from the skull and muzzle are parallel to one another and joined by a well defined, moderately deep stop. Supraorbital arches over the eyes are well defined but not pronounced. The head is well chiseled, blending strength, elegance, and character. Very Serious Fault: Overly large, heavy heads. SKULL - The skull is large, flat or slightly rounded, deep, and broad between the ears. Viewed from the top, the skull tapers just slightly toward the stop. There is a deep median furrow that diminishes in depth from the stop to the occiput. Cheek muscles are prominent but free of wrinkles. When the dog is concentrating, wrinkles form on the forehead, which give the APBT his unique expression. MUZZLE - The muzzle is broad and deep with a very slight taper from the stop to the nose, and a slight falling away under the eyes. The length of muzzle is shorter than the length of skull, with a ratio of approximately 2:3. The topline of the muzzle is straight. The lower jaw is well developed, wide and deep. Lips are clean and tight. Faults: Snipey muzzle; flews; weak lower jaw. Very Serious Fault: Muzzle too short, which impairs breathing capability. TEETH - The American Pit Bull Terrier has a complete set of evenly spaced, white teeth meeting in a scissors bite. Fault: Level bite. Serious Faults: Undershot, or overshot bite; wry mouth; missing teeth (this does not apply to teeth that have been lost or removed by a veterinarian). NOSE - The nose is large with wide, open nostrils. The nose may be any color. EYES - Eyes are medium size, round and set well apart and low on the skull. All colors are equally acceptable except blue, which is a serious fault. Haw should not be visible. Serious Faults: Bulging eyes; both eyes not matched in color; blue eyes. EARS - Ears are high set and may be natural or cropped without preference. Prick or flat, wide ears are not desired. NECK The neck is of moderate length and muscular. There is a slight arch at the crest. The neck widens gradually from where it joins the skull to where it blends into well laid-back shoulders. The skin on the neck is tight and without dewlap.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- American Staffordshire Terrier Breed Standard Terrier Group General Impression The American Staffordshire Terrier should give the impression of great strength for his size, a well put-together dog, muscular, but agile and graceful, keenly alive to his surroundings. He should be stocky, not long-legged or racy in outline. His courage is proverbial. Head Medium length, deep through, broad skull, very pronounced cheek muscles, distinct stop; and ears are set high. Ears - Cropped or uncropped, the latter preferred. Uncropped ears should be short and held rose or half prick. Full drop to be penalized. Eyes - Dark and round, low down in skull and set far apart. No pink eyelids. Muzzle - Medium length, rounded on upper side to fall away abruptly below eyes. Jaws well defined. Underjaw to be strong and have biting power. Lips close and even, no looseness. Upper teeth to meet tightly outside lower teeth in front. Nose definitely black. Neck Heavy, slightly arched, tapering from shoulders to back of skull. No looseness of skin. Medium length. Shoulders Strong and muscular with blades wide and sloping. Back Fairly short. Slight sloping from withers to rump with gentle short slope at rump to base of tail. Loins slightly tucked. Body Well-sprung ribs, deep in rear. All ribs close together. Forelegs set rather wide apart to permit chest development. Chest deep and broad. Tail Short in comparison to size, low set, tapering to a fine point; not curled or held over back. Not docked. Legs The front legs should be straight, large or round bones, pastern upright. No semblance of bend in front. Hindquarters well-muscled, let down at hocks, turning neither in nor out. Feet of moderate size, well-arched and compact. Gait must be springy but without roll or pace. Coat Short, close, stiff to the touch, and glossy. Color Any color, solid, parti, or patched is permissible, but all white, more than 80 per cent white, black and tan, and liver not to be encouraged. Size Height and weight should be in proportion. A height of about 18 to 19 inches at shoulders for the male and 17 to 18 inches for the female is to be considered preferable. Faults Faults to be penalized are: Dudley nose, light or pink eyes, tail too long or badly carried, undershot or overshot mouths. Approved June 10, 1936 American Staffordshire Terrier Links

This is the photo that melted my heart and sealed Abbies fate