Leithy

As soon as I can as I don't intend to breed. Gypsy was all booked into to go at six months and then went into heat.... So she was done at seven months. I'd do it again in an instant, unfortunately with shift work I found it really hard to monitor her when she was on heat.

So far I am leaning towards pet insurance Australia- seems like the best deal atm. What experiences have people had with pet insurance comapnies?

Just wondering what pet insurance people have and the opinions of the major companies etc. I'm looking into it for peace of mind with my two dachshunds, and just curious as to what people would recommend.

I wish I knew that: - How crappy dog food from the supermarket really is; - That I would end up with two long portable electric blankets; - That even though my girls can sleep all day, they still want to go for walks at 44 degrees (not that I ever have lol) - You need to be firm with obedience and training (I'm a sook and only got firm after four pairs of shoes were destroyed... silly me) - The unconditional love I get them from them, especially after a hard shift at work, can never be replaced

So what's the better option? I've just started looking into pet insurance and I am quite curious as to which one to go with.

Dachshunds were originally meant to hunt the big mean old badger (lol) and seeing as there are no badgers in rural South Australia... Gypsy has good prey drive, will kill mice and small lizards, but unfortunately likes to bark bark bark at sleepy lizards...thankfully no snakes seen so far this summer... Meg has about as much prey drive as, say, my pet fish do. On our walk tonight we walked past a rabbit. BOTH girls looked at the rabbit and continued walking, weren't even fazed by it. Same with little dogs too. They'd rather bail up the larger ones, the ones that are about 4x their size... silly dogs.... But I love my girls, great companions and their attitudes and actions have me laughing every day. Right now my Meg is under my bed farting her bum off... phew...

Normally me standing in front of my girls and telling them to "go home" is enough to send other dogs away. However I've never seen a dog in attacking mode go for my dogs- I've been attacked by dogs a few times trying to go for my leg and trying to kick them is hard enough. I had a six cm bruise on my leg after one attack where a tiny bit of fat made it onto my sock- I was so horrified. Stamping my feet works too. It all depends on the size of the dog I guess. I'm not very strong so if a larger dog came along I'd try my hardest but I doubt I could physically do anything to my dismay. I'd try and make sure the attacking dog got a few kicks to the guts tho- I'd never run from my girls in a situation like that.

Does anyone else have photos of their dogs in some weird positions? This first one isn't weird, but too cute to not share! Gypsy ain't much of a poser

All these photos of black and white border collies are making me fall in love with them even more ... definately on my breed to have list!!

Awwww ( Sorry to hear TS RIP Bruce, you were such a handsome dog.

Socialization is a must especially with kids from a young age. I find my smooth daccie is more friendly to strangers than my long haired daccie, but Meg (LH) is a bit wary of strangers then loves them onces she knows who they are. Every dog is different I guess

Used to like huntsmen till I had one learing at me from a curtain as I was making toast. Since then I have hated the hairy beasts

Killed a massive black spider -thinking its a black house spider?- and am now jittery at any little weird feeling im having on my body. Murdered about five of the scary looking things today. Will take some photos if he's still there tomorrow!

I've just had my first flea invasion, it's driving the dogs and myself nuts. WE CANT SLEEP due to them biting and being pains in the arses and i cant do anything till tomorrow morning.... I'll be very very busy. Advocate sounds the way to go? As long as it kills the damn fleas I don't care how expensive it is. It's hard with a long haired dog and a black short haired pup. It's kind of like a never ending war isn't it?

My girls sleep on the bed with me. I wouldn't have it any other way because I love waking up and seeing the girls asleep with me- or even better, curled up with each other. If i'm on night shift they sleep outside in the kennel curled up with each other. I wouldn't have it any other way, they are very well behaved and will let me know when they need to go out.

He looks so much better now he's put some condition on. I used to go to Whyalla for university, I thought mis treatment on animals wasn't happening <to that extent...> in Whyalla. I've heard some horror stories in Port Augusta, <where I Live> over the past three years. He's a beautiful puppy, he must love you to bits!! He might not want to leave you!

Dunno about the non reaction to red back bites- but we've had goanna's hear scaring my patients on the ward, they are funny looking things!

Here's my addittion, I'm not too good at the whole arty photo thing, and I did edit with some colours and stuff. Don't laugh blz And just for laughs, Meg's new way of getting my attention

Aww love the photo with the cat and tinsel- might try getting my dogs with tinsil, before they try eatting it...

They go sit at the back door. Or in the middle of the night, I wake up to a 7kg dachshund on my chest.

That sounds like something I'd do, I went to uni and popped a lense out of a sheeps eye. Nil futher spider attacks to report. But now that summer is coming... prepare the battle walls!

stuff a gigantic bird eating tarantula, i wouldn't even be living in the house i need to get the house sprayed, spidies everywhere!!!!

Those are my house rules too... but now that you told me huntsmen drop from the roof they are all dead, coz i cant stand to get near the ugly things... luckily my girls stay away from spiders!! If they are little they generally get a bit of a lifespan unless they are black. To make matters worse, during the night I felt something crawl across my chest, and I flicked it away thinking I was "feeling things" Getting ready for work the next day I saw an effing scorpion crawling across the floor, about 7cm long <including the tail>. YUCK

Ummm it was about 10cm long and about 5 cm wide... imagine a medium sized pine cone with legs, that wat i honeslty thought it was until i had a closer look. was massive!! havent seen any since tho luckily