Curlybert

Birthday greetings from Billie and Rebel, Ms Maddie. Not sure if you're prettier with your frangipani or your party hat! XX

Dearest Elly - what a good girl and working so hard. Mother of the Year!

Quite right. Canberra's RSPCA has a good reputation. And I saw the CEO at the 'Ban Live Export' march on Sunday, walking his pretty pit bull girl.

Poor Narla but I know she's getting the best of care. Another thumbs up from me for Belco Pets - so suppportive of rescue and very knowledgeable about all matters canine, feline, avian etc. I wouldn't shop anywhere else for my pooches' needs!

Gnarla looks so much better in the new pics - so pretty and feminine. What a doll. You've done wonders Cheryl, and I know it's not the first time!

This year's? I thought it was claimed he was the face of the 2010 Victorian Million Paws Walk.

Yes, she truly is, Aussie. I believe she had a pretty rugged past life and she then spent four months at the Canberra RSPCA. When she was leaving there to go to her new home, all the staff came out to wave her off. She had won many hearts.

My neighbours adore their new grand-dog, a Pitoodle ( :D ) named Sugar. And what a sweetie she is. Pictured here with her proud mum.

Sleep well, beautiful Red Cloud boy.... http://m.theage.com.au/entertainment/movies/australias-favourite-red-dogs-true-star-dies-20121218-2bkr6.html

From today's Sydney Morning Herald: Former prostitute and NSW Police trainee Kim Hollingsworth has been charged with hindering an animal welfare officer in Sydney's west. Hollingsworth, whose story was featured in the television crime series Underbelly: The Golden Mile, set in Kings Cross, was arrested at a Mulgoa property about 10.30am on Thursday. The arrest came after RSPCA officers went to her home to assess the animals under her care, an RSPCA spokesman said. Acting Inspector Jeff Thornton from Penrith Local Area command said that Hollingworth allegedly began to obstruct an RSPCA officer conducting the investigation. Advertisement She was charged with hindering an officer and was issued a court attendance notice to appear at Penrith Local Court in January. Hollingsworth was dismissed as a NSW Police trainee after failing to disclose her past as a prostitute and stripper. Underbelly: The Golden Mile told the story of Sydney's underworld from 1988 to 1999. The RSPCA spokesman said Hollingsworth also faced 11 charges of animal cruelty and was set to appear at Downing Centre District Court on Monday. http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/underbelly-figure-kim-hollingsworth-charged-20121213-2bc6g.html

A Portuguese Water Spaniel I believe? Very handsome! http://bit.ly/X5uykq

Apparently the 7.30 program on ABC 1 tonight features a story on 'disposable dogs' in Japan. Over 100,000 a year put down. I know no more than that. Will comment though that that figure is about on par with Australia's pound euthanasia rate for dogs. Nothing to be proud of in either case.

From today's Sydney Morning Herald: Owners Urged to Vaccinate Dogs Against Deadly Virus A SPIKE in cases of a highly contagious virus that can cause an agonising death in puppies has prompted warnings from veterinarians to vaccinate pets. Canine parvovirus causes haemorrhagic vomiting and diarrhoea, dehydration and, within a matter of days, death. ''It's a terrible disease,'' veterinarian Mark Kelman said. ''Of the dogs that catch the virus, 50 per cent will die.'' Of those, he said, half will have to be euthanised by a vet. The virus spreads through bodily fluids, mainly faeces. It can live for up to a year in the environment, and exists throughout the world, but it has existed for only three decades and could be eradicated, Dr Kelman said. His research with the University of Sydney into the spread of the disease has found it occurs more commonly in poorer areas of Australia's cities and towns. At Cathy Irwin's veterinary clinic at Bradbury, near Campbelltown, five puppies have been brought in with the virus in the past few weeks alone. ''We see a lot of dogs with parvovirus in our area and that's to do with levels of vaccination,'' Dr Irwin said. ''I still see people who aren't aware of the vaccination requirements,'' Dr Irwin said. ''[And] the vaccine is so effective.'' Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/owners-urged-to-vaccinate-dogs-against-deadly-virus-20121121-29q9a.html#ixzz2CtdB0Pq4

Yes, bravo from me too.

Funnily enough, I don't follow you either, Lil. But you feel the need to make gratuitous, unhelpful comments in so many threads that it's damn hard to avoid you. Thank God for Off Topic, which provides some respite.

Guess I was thinking of your gratuitous comment in the recent Halti thread. But whatever you say. Yawn.

I'm hoping that one of these days, lilli, you'll actually participate in a thread that is outside your own specific area of interest and say something that is neither cynical nor bitchy. :)

I'm sure you're doing the very best you can, CHA.

Previously used a sporn on my younger Golden who was trained for field work for 12 months before I got her and who used to rear up and react excitedly to crested pigeons, cats, empty chip packets blowing around in the breeze - anything really!. Then I bought a halti from my excellent local pet supplies shop (Belco Pets) and was given step-by-step instructions for attaching it using Zoe, the shop's resident dog as a model, and we haven't looked back. Walking is now a pleasure, not an ordeal. Haltis are great in my opinion!

Next Sunday's 'Background Briefing' on ABC Radio National will focus on euthanasia rates for greyhounds that are not up to scratch on the track. It will be on just after the 8am news on 11 November. I know nothing more about the program's content but it may of interest to some DOLers. It will be repeated at 4am Monday 12th, but will also be available as a podcast through the RN webpage.

I'm curious that the advertiser is in Alexandria - an inner Sydney suburb with lots of terrace houses and small courtyards - certainly no quarter-acre blocks to breed and raise large pooches!

If Stan was wearing his hibiscus and Raybans, I'm sure everyone would think he was stylish and sophisticated, pizza or not! Years ago my parents moved to the south coast from Sydney, and their dear old Lab would fetch the home-delivered Sydney Morning Herald everyday and bring it inside. One day a neighbour tactfully asked my mother if it was possible that Honey was also fetching her paper (the Illawarra Mercury) because the newsagent swore he had delievered it but it was never there when she went to collect it. My mother was a little miffed that the neighbour would suggest such a thing, and said that Honey could not possibly be the culprit. A few days later my mother needed to get something from under the house, and there she found about 20 pristine, rolled-up copies of the Illawarra Mercury that Honey had deposited. She was so embarrassed when she fessed up to (and reimbursed) the neighbour!

Yay for Jessie - and what a deserving girl. So glad she has made such a good recovery. She seems so gentle and good-natured - cat-friendly too, which is quite a bonus in a dish-licker!

Precious. Or Celine. As in "Celine, Celine, the sweetest sheila I seen..." :D (Because she's so pretty.) ETA: The poor little lambkin with her sore leg. I hope she's comfy and warm on this horribly cold night....

If only! But with a track record like that, no one wanted him. Plenty of other nice dogs who are not escape artists also get put down every week all round the country.