Pollywaffle

How distressing for you...fingers and toes are crossed he's fine and just enjoying a trip out...

"Serendipity".

It was fate/good fortune for these animals.

Kelly-Louise

She's lovely..laying there having a bit of a rest...can tire you out dodging the rain...

My two are little dogs and my little girl especially, hate the rain...she has gone out in the rain on sufferance, stood there for ages and then come back inside and peed....the joys of dog ownership!

Our dogs both have long hair so get professionally groomed once a month and brushed regularly in between...Because Bazzy is white (maltese) he always looks manky, even after just being groomed - manky with a ribbon in his hair!

I can totally see why you would love him to bits! Delightful!

You've got a lovely boy there...Happy Birthday Darcy...

Yes, it was when we took our four dogs to an area beside Sea World for a runaround one morning around 6am.

It turned out that oval is a helicopter landing area and one was coming in to land while our dogs were of lead. We managed to get three dogs in the car but Ella my standard poodle was running straight for the blade on the back of the chopper. She couldn't hear me screaming, I have never screamed so hard or loud in my life.

All I could think of was her getting chopped up in the blade.

She got within what seemed like about 20 feet away and then turned and came back to me, she doesn't know how close she came to a horrible death that day.

I don't think I could ever beat that!

Just had to share...took little uns outside for their last constitutional for the night and Polly went rushing over to an object on the lawn...only for OH and I to realise it was a bloody big toad...needless to say the neighbourhood would have heard my shouts and those dogs got rushed back inside quick smart. No one else can make me as anxious as my dogs do sometimes!

Just wondered if your dog/s have ever made your heart literally stop?

Speaking of stupid, the other day my BIL told me that Darcy is obviously not pure-bred because pure bred dogs don't have pigment on their lips (or something like that.) However, since Darcy is 'papered', he would be very interested in a bitch puppy with papers when (not if) I breed Darcy, because he would be able to cross it with one of his mutts and sell the puppies for thousands because they will have a pedigree...Um yeah sure.

Hmmm, are you sure you dont share a BIL with my hubby?

Wise comments from BIL so far include:

"Break the dogs spirit first. That way they are easy to train"

"The best way to exercise your dog is to take it out bush, throw it off the back of the ute and drive off. That way it will exercise itself when it tries to chase after you." and to teach it to swim? - "Throw it off the boat and let it work out how to swim back to shore."

"Papered dogs are a waste of money when you can buy a purebred for half the price without them from the trading post"

"The best way to toilet train your puppy is to tie him to his kennel. That way he will learn that this is where he has to sleep AND shit. Otherwise you can take him for a walk at the same time everyday and make him go then. That way you wont have to pick it up."

And the latest one, given to my MIL after their dog had escaped from it's eternal tie out and wandered a over to her house (about 2km's away)-

"If he shows up at your place again just belt the crap out of him, that way he wont do it again."

Luckily MIL has the sense not to and just calls my SIL to come and pick the dog up.

Oh, and the one that upset me the most (even though it is not the worst by any means):

"It's only a dog. It's not worth shit - NOTHING!"

Hmmm, lovely

This "BIL" sounds like an absolute charmer...shame I'm married....

I am truly sorry for everyone concerned in this sad situation..a dog being a dog and a cat - being a cat I guess...

well, we certainly don't avoid the awkward and unpleasant subjects on this forum...the wonder that is a dog!

Fantastic! ;)

If only the poor people in Bundaberg who lost their daughter had had a dog

that's so true...dogs really have multiple purposes...apart from being wonderful friends

I don't know if my pom and maltese would have such an impact..one would want to lick the man to death, the other would look really annoyed!

i was at a dog park with a lady who bought her bitch on heat to the park... she said she doesn't care because she wanted puppies. doesn't care what it's cross with. then a group of people started to aww and ahh about puppies... i had to walk away.

Did you ask her 'so when you want kids are you going to go hang around on street corners with your pants around your ankles'

the human race is abhorrent and intolerable.

I think 'abhorrent' and 'intolerable' just about sums it up!!

This is the sort of situation which makes my blood literally boil..sometimes you find people's greed, cruelty and stupidity almost overwhelming. I guess you have to back away, follow due process and hope that they see sense one day (if ever)....

Timmy loves sudsy warm baths and showers .... but loathes any other type of water. I tried as a pup in still quiet water to get him into it and whilst he *can* swim he chooses not to.

I'm sure he thinks - I'm WARM wash only you idiots! Do you want me shrinking even smaller??

It might be a little dog thing..mine are both littlies (pom and maltese)...perhaps they find the sea overwhelming?

My dogs are totally offended by the whole concept of water...they bring themselves to drink it, but that's where it ends..swim in it...how dare you!

Anything that my dogs can literally 'kill'...well, that's the intention anyway..so tuggies are tops.

For those of you who are standing on your soapbox and preaching to these puppy buyers, please keep in mind that they have done NOTHING wrong. Please don't make them feel bad. They have done everything they thought was right, and in the cases where they are contacting pet professionals, they are continuing to do the right thing by the puppy by seeking good food, vaccinations, info etc.

I don't think anyone is having a go at the buyers, it's the people who are breeding and selling the pups that I have the problem with. My aim is to try to educate people, not preach to them. Many of the 'breeders' are well aware of what is in the best interests of their puppies, but for those who are in it purely for the money they have no qualms about preying on the ignorance of others. Ignorance is only changed by education and explanation. Many people have learnt so much about unscrupulous breeders and puppy farmers since joining DOL. For every person we educate, that's another person converted to the truth about puppy farmers.

Every one of us, myself included, began our journey with the dogs we love with a limited amount of knowledge. Mistakes are made, but with education and an open mind they are not repeated. It warms my heart to hear of members who have had their eyes opened and are now embracing that knowledge, and in many cases adding their voice to educate others about puppy farmers and bad breeders.

Paraphrasing Oprah... when you know better, you do better

So right...knowledge is a wonderful thing, but like everything you have to acquire it....before DOLers I was ignorant of most issues discussed in this forum..I just knew I liked dogs. Now I know I won't replicate many of the mistakes I made before and yes, I probably bought my dogs the 'wrong' way and won't do so again...but that said, i will never regret doing what I did as my dogs are my world! So for me DOL is a good learning tool..for the future, but not for the past.

I just dont understand people. It really saddens and baffles me how people can treat members of their family with such disregard.

we have two normal, naughty, over energetic, loveable pups. there have been some frustrating, almost black times (me standing in the kitchen at 3am screaming 'stop biting my clothes! springs to mind- this was before obedience training). our doorways have been chewed. i have lost 3 sheet sets. our clothes line has been broken. my floors are muddy 5 minutes after i spend 2 hours vacumming and mopping them. we cant afford a holiday as one of the dogs needed surgery.

never, for one moment, have i ever contemplated giving either of them up. not for one millisecond. i would be lost without them.

i'm not a saint, just an animal lover that honours the commitment one makes when they CHOOSE to take an animal into their family.

Hear, hear.. so well said!

my absolute total thoughts are with Porridge..she is a darling!

Have you got a friend or family memeber that could access the yard and check on Jessie???

No I haven't long been in Australia (I come from the UK) and I don't really know anyone and have no family here.

1pm isn't that far away now....and we're thinking of you and your little Jessie...just hang in there until it's time...

Oh god, I feel awful now. I knew I should have gone with my instincts I was positive something wasn’t right and was going to stay off work and take her straight to the vets, but OH thought I was overreacting!!

She and my other dog are outside whilst we are at work (we are gone 8am till 6pm), but it’s a large shaded patio area, along with a big back garden.

I’m torn now, I work about 75 minutes from home, and my job is barely secure atm – but I can’t stand the thought of her being alone if she isn’t well. Trouble is my dogs are like my kids (like so many of the Dolers) but no one at work understands that! They won’t understand my panic to get home.....

We so understand your dilemma..the work/home balance. My dogs are my 'kids' and I hate the thought of them falling ill whilst I'm at work...there would never be the sympathy and understanding shown me that there is to people with children....Sorry, bit off topic, but I can empathise with your dilemma sooooo much!

Dad wants to give his little boy a special outing on his access weekend

Dad "What would you like to do this weekend, Johnny?"

Johnny "I'd really like to go to the zoo"

Dad "Great idea, we'll do it!"

The weekend comes and they are happily walking around the zoo but after a short time they notice that they can't see any animals. Eventually they come to a cage which has one small fuffy dog in it. As they stand there a zoo keeper walks past behind them and the Dad turns quickly to ask the keeper "what sort of a zoo is this?"

The keeper keeps walking as he casually replies "a shit zoo"

very good!